GOLDEN SUNS DROPS BOTH OF ITS GAMES ON THIRD DAY OF
GSC CROSSOVER SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

        DECATUR, Alabama – Arkansas Tech Softball continued play here Sunday in the four-day Gulf South Conference Crossover Tournament by dropping both of its games at Wilson-Morgan Park.

Tech opened the third day by falling 9-8 (Box Score) to West Alabama and then fell 4-3 (Box Score) in eight innings to North Alabama to fall to 1-4 in the GSC Crossover Tournament.

With the two losses, Tech falls to 29-18 overall and 12-7 in the GSC West Division standings.

In the first game of the day, UWA (33-7, 7-5 GSC) scored seven runs over the final three innings to come back from a 7-2 deficit to pick up the win and improve to 4-0 in the crossover tournament.

Tech jumped out in front 6-0 in the second inning thanks to five hits, a passed ball and a wild pitch by UWA pitcher Aubree Hudson. In the inning, junior pitcher Casey Hammons (Carthage, Texas) scored the first run on a failed pickoff attempt and then senior leftfielder Kacie Visina (Rowlett, Texas) drove in the second run with an RBI infield single. Tech’s next two runs were driven in by a ground-rule double by sophomore second baseman Shanda Jimeson (Mansfield, Texas) and then senior rightfielder Sarah Pratt (Garland, Texas) scored on a passed ball by UWA catcher Ashley Edgar and Jimeson scored on Hudson’s wild pitch. Pratt had reached on an infield single.

The Lady Tigers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning thanks to an RBI on a fielder’s choice by Laura Bagwell off of freshman Morgan Rodgers (Mansfield, Texas), the third Tech pitcher of the game.

In the third inning, Tech got that run back on an RBI single by Visina off of Brittany McGee, which plated freshman shortstop Stephanie Lasley (Greenbrier, Ark.). Lasley had led off the inning with an infield hit.

UWA pulled within 7-2 in the fourth inning on an unearned run thanks to an error by Lasley. In the fifth, UWA scored two more runs to move within 7-4 on RBI singles by Monica Rethwill and Valisha Fincher. The Lady Tigers comeback continued in the sixth inning as they plated three runs on four hits to tie the game at 7.

Tech broke the tie in the seventh inning on an RBI single by senior centerfielder Krista Cifuentes (Clinton, Ark.) which plated junior third baseman Taylor Gates (Paris, Texas).  Gates had reached on a fielder’s choice.

In the bottom of the seventh, UWA tied the game on an RBI single by Kelli Hartley and then pushed across the winning run when Bagwell reached on a bunt single that scored Fincher to seal the victory.

Rodgers (11-7) took the loss as she tossed five innings and allowed 10 hits and eight runs, five of which were earned, while walking three and striking out two. Hammons started the game and pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one hit and one run, while junior Lyndsey McVay (Jonesboro, Ark.) walked the two batters she faced.

Amanda Bintz, the third UWA hurler of the game, earned the win (6-0) as she tossed 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and one run, while walking two.

Visina led Tech’s 11-hit attack with three hits in four at-bats, while Cifuentes, Pratt and Lasley all had two hits. In addition, Visina and Jimeson each drove in two runs and Lasley scored two runs in the loss.

Edgar led UWA’s offense with three hits, while Fincher and Hartley had two hits. Bagwell and Smith each drove in two runs in the win.

Against UNA, the Lady Lions pushed out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI double by Jennifer Sharp off of Rodgers.

Tech answered UNA’s run in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Cifuentes, which plated Gates, who had led off the inning with a single off of UNA starter Anna Ard.

The Golden Suns took the lead at 2-1 in the sixth inning thanks to a double by Gates and fielding error by Kathryn Young and then added to its lead with on an RBI fielder’s choice by Rodgers in the seventh that scored Pratt.

It appeared that Tech was headed for the win as they led 3-1 heading into the bottom of seventh but Sharp tied the game on a two-run homer over the center field fence.

Tech used back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and second in the eighth inning, only to have Ard retire the next two Golden Suns on a fielder’s choice and a fly out.

In the bottom of the eighth, UNA’s Ally Pridmore drilled a solo home run over the left centerfield fence to earn the extra inning.

Rodgers (11-8) took the loss as she tossed 7.1 innings and allowed eight hits and four runs, while walking none and striking out one.

Pridmore’s homer made a winner out of Ard (5-3), who tossed eight innings and allowed 10 hits and three runs (one earned run), while walking three and striking out nine.

For the game, Tech outhit UNA, 10-8 and left 11 runners stranded on base. UNA’s defense committed three errors.

Gates, Lasley, Cifuentes and junior catcher Roxie Palacios (Crosby, Texas) each had two hits in the loss, while Gates scored two runs.  

UNA’s offense was paced by two hits apiece from Young and Sharp.

Tech will conclude the 2009 GSC Crossover Tournament on Monday, April 6 against eighth-ranked Valdosta State at 10 a.m.  

-- Tech Athletics --