SOFTBALL SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER AT OUACHITA BAPTIST

        ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Golden Suns Softball saw its seven-game winning streak snapped here Friday as they split a Gulf South Conference West Division doubleheader with Ouachita Baptist at Sully Anderson Field.

Tech fell 2-0 (Box Score) in the opener thanks to a two-run homer in the first inning by the Lady Tigers, but rebounded to earn a 1-0 win (Box Score) in the second game of the twinbill thanks to a solo homer in the seventh inning by sophomore pitcher Casey Hammons (Carthage, Texas).

With the split, Tech’s record moved to 22-6 overall and 7-1 in the GSC, while OBU’s record is now 12-17 overall and 2-4 in the GSC.

Friday’s doubleheader featured two outstanding pitching duels as OBU’s Beth McGhee outdueled Tech senior hurler Dana Aldrich (Palm Harbor, Fla.) in the opener, while Hammons got the best of Lady Tiger Kristen Rigsbee in the second game to pick up her 11th win of the season.

In the opener, OBU got on the scoreboard in the first inning thanks to a two-run homer by Rigsbee off of Aldrich.

Rigsbee’s homer would hold up as McGhee tossed a complete game, five-hitter. She walked two and struck out six in improving to 4-2 on the season.

Tech had several chances to score runs in the game as it put two runners on base in the fifth and seventh innings, but McGhee pitched out of the jam each time after forcing senior shortstop Molly Schweigert (Salem, Ore.) to fly out to left field in the fifth and inducing junior rightfielder Sarah Pratt (Garland, Texas), this week’s GSC West Division Player of the Week, to pop out to third base to end the game.

 Aldrich, who fell to 10-4 on the season with the loss, pitched six innings and allowed four hits and two runs, while striking out five and walking none.

Pratt was one of five Golden Suns to record a hit in the game. Meanwhile, Rigsbee had one of OBU’s four hits in the contest.

In the second game of the twinbill, Hammons and Rigsbee each pitched six scoreless innings until Hammons broke the scoreless tie in the seventh frame with her two-out home run. The homer was the first of the season and the second of her Tech career.

          Following her homer in the seventh, Hammons held onto her team’s lead in the bottom of the seventh as she walked Aspen Grams with two outs and then allowed a single to Korrine Cook, before striking out Whitney Hoppe to end the game and preserve the doubleheader split.

          Hammons, who was this week’s GSC West Division Pitcher of the Week, tossed seven innings and allowed four hits and no runs, while walking two and striking out seven. With the win, Hammons upped her record to 11-2 this season.

          Rigsbee, who fell to 5-5, was the hard-luck loser as she tossed a complete game six-hitter, as she allowed just Hammons’ homer in the seventh, while walking one and striking out three.

          Hammons and freshman second baseman Shanda Jimeson (Mansfield, Texas) led Tech’s offense with two hits apiece, while Pratt and senior leftfielder Terra Brenner (Belleville, Ill.) each had a hit in the loss. Haley Chambers had two of OBU’s four hits in the win.

          The two teams will finish up the home-and-home series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22, in Russellville. The first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Tech’s new Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex.
 
                                                       -- Tech Athletics --