Tech Softball Dominates 8-State Classic

Game One: Tech 8, NW Missouri State 6 Kambri Hill’s walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning gave Arkansas Tech an 8-6 victory over Northwest Missouri State on Friday. Hill was 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Tech’s Ashley Savage was 1-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run home run. Pitcher Sydnee Clark (1-0) provided the Golden Suns with two scoreless and hitless innings of relief to earn the win in the circle. Northwest Missouri State’s Paige Blythe (0-1) allowed four runs on five hits over three and two-thirds innings of relief. Game Two: Tech 7, Emporia State 2 Sixth-inning home runs by Jalissa Gum, Hill and Whitney Robinson propelled Arkansas Tech to a 7-2 win over nationally 18th-ranked Emporia State University on Friday. Gum tied the score at 2-2 with a one-out, solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. Hill’s two-run home run later in the frame gave the Golden Suns the lead for good, and Robinson’s three-run shot provided Arkansas Tech with what proved to be its final margin of victory. Victoria Huie (1-0) scattered six hits over four scoreless innings of relief for the Golden Suns. She notched three strikeouts. Hornet starting pitcher Eryn Stockman (0-1) allowed seven runs on 12 hits in five and two-thirds innings. Game Three: Tech 13, Nebraska-Kearney 4 Courtney Colunga went 3-for-3 with two home runs and six RBIs to lead Arkansas Tech to a 13-4 win over the University of Nebraska-Kearney in its first game on Saturday. Colunga had a solo home run in the first inning, a three-run single in the second inning and a two-run home run later in the second inning. Chelsea Reeves also homered for the Golden Suns. Her three-run shot was part of a seven-run rally for Arkansas Tech in the second inning. The game was stopped after five innings due to the mercy rule. Morgan Vaughan (1-0) was the winning pitcher. She surrendered two runs on three hits in four innings. Nebraska-Kearney starting pitcher Meg Housholder took the loss after allowing eight runs on nine hits in one and two-thirds innings. Game Four: Tech 11, Minnesota State 2 Ten different Arkansas Tech hitters had at least one base hit and seven different Golden Suns had at least one RBI in an 11-2 victory over the Minnesota State University Mavericks on Saturday. Robinson put the Suns in front for good when she drove in a run with a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the second inning. A Minnesota State error on the play allowed a second run to come home. Arkansas Tech pulled away with a six-run rally in the third inning. Hill hit a solo home run, Shanna Davidson and Colunga both notched a two-run single and Gum had an RBI double to give the Golden Suns an 8-0 lead. Later, with Tech leading 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Gum hit a two-run home run that ended the game early due to the mercy rule. Huie (2-0) went the distance in the circle for Arkansas Tech. She allowed two runs on six hits. Minnesota State starter Coley Ries was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits in two and one-third innings.]]>