GOLDEN SUNS CLOSE OUT GSC CROSSOVER TOURNAMENT
WITH LOSSES TO WEST ALABAMA, NORTH ALABAMA

        DECATUR, Alabama – Arkansas Tech Softball closed out play here Sunday in the four-day Gulf South Conference Crossover Tournament by dropping its final two games to West Alabama and North Alabama at Wilson-Morgan Park.

Tech, who finished 2-3 at the GSC Crossover Tournament, opened Sunday’s final day by falling 3-2 (Box Score) to West Alabama and then concluded play with a 2-0 loss (Box Score) to North Alabama.

With the two losses, Tech falls to 33-12 overall and 15-6 in the GSC West Division, but enters the final two weeks of the regular season sitting a half game in front of Delta State (15-7) and 1.5 games in front of Henderson State (14-7).

Against West Alabama, the Lady Tigers, who improved to 23-24 overall and 3-13 GSC, jumped on the scoreboard first in the third inning thanks to a solo home run by Kassadie Jones off of sophomore hurler Casey Hammons (Carthage, Texas).

UWA’s lead grew to 2-0 in the sixth inning thanks to a solo homer by Kelli Hartley, which chased Hammons from the game and then the Tigers added its third run later in the inning on a run scoring single by Monica Rethwill off of senior Dana Aldrich (Palm Harbor, Fla.), who relieved Hammons.

The Golden Suns, though, responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs thanks to an RBI single by senior shortstop Molly Schweigert (Salem, Ore.), which extended her hitting streak to 16 consecutive games and a bases loaded walk from UWA hurler Brittany McGee, which scored Schweigert.

Tech, though, would get no closer as Rethwill relieved McGee (4-4 on the season) and retired the final five Tech hitters in order to earn her first save of the season.

Hammons (13-5) took the loss for the Tech as she tossed five innings and allowed four hits and three runs, while walking four and striking out eight. Aldrich pitched the final two innings and allowed two hits and no runs, while striking out two and walking none.

          Schweigert was one of four Golden Suns to record a hit in the game as Tech was outhit, 6-4 and the Golden Suns committed an error in the game. Hartley led UWA with two of their six hits.

          McGee earned the win as she tossed 5.1 innings and allowed four hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out five.

          Meanwhile, in the final game of the GSC Crossover against North Alabama, both teams combined for 17 hits, all of which were singles and 18 runners left on base.

          UNA (24-16 overall, 12-7 GSC) jumped on the scoreboard in the second inning on an unearned run thanks to an error by sophomore catcher Roxie Palacios (Crosby, Texas).

           That run would be all that the Lady Lions and Sabrina Roberts would need as Roberts tossed a complete game eight hit shutout against the Golden Suns. In seven innings of work, Roberts walked one and struck out three.

          Roberts was staked to an insurance run in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Lindsey Bates to give UNA a 2-0 lead.

          That insurance run was important as Tech loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh off of Roberts thanks to three consecutive singles, before Roberts forced senior Terra Brenner (Belleville, Ill.) to line out and ended the game by inducing Schweigert to fly out to left field to seal the win.

           While Roberts was effective on the mound, Aldrich was just as effective for the Golden Suns. Aldrich, who fell to 19-7 with the loss, pitched a complete game and allowed nine hits and two runs (one unearned run), while walking two and striking out three.

          Freshman first baseman Tiphani Moon (Euless, Texas) led Tech’s eight hit attack with two singles, while six others recorded one hit, including Schweigert, who extended her hitting streak to 17 straight games.

          UNA’s offense was paced by Allie Peterson’s three hits and Lindsey Greene’s two hits.

          Tech will return to action on Wednesday, April 16, when they travel to Monticello, Ark., to face Arkansas-Monticello (17-24 overall, 10-9 GSC) in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The two teams will face each other in Russellville on Saturday, April 19 at 2 p.m. at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex.

                                                          -- Tech Athletics --