SEARCY, Ark. - The Ouachita Tigers softball team bounced back from a tough series opener versus to Harding to split the final two games of the series, highlighted by an 8-6 extra-innings win in game one. The Tigers fell in game two by a final of 4-2.
Ouachita jumped out early in game one with a six-run first inning. With two on and one out,
Kate Lacina hit a RBI single through the right side of the infield for the first run of the inning.
Macy Nantz with a single to left center that drove in two runs, including Lacina from first.
Emily Acuna kept the inning going with a two-out triple to score Nantz.
Paige Purifoy followed with a RBI single o left and
Suzie Gresham drove in the sixth run of the inning with a double to center.Â
Macy Nantz held the Harding offense at bay, allowing only two unearned runs through the first five innings. Harding scored two runs each in the bottom half of the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 6-6 and force extra innings.
Kelsey O'Brien pitched four innings in relief, allowing only one run on two hits. The Tigers offense helped her in the top of the tenth inning.
Alex Jennings drove in the go ahead runs with a single to left centerfield, scoring Purifoy and
Kelly Powell.
O'Brien retired Harding in order in the bottom of tenth to earn her third win of the season.Â
 In game two,
Marissa Butler pitched three scoreless innings to start the game, retiring nine of the first 10 batters she faced.Â
Harding would score three runs in the fourth inning and added one more in fifth to take a 4-0 lead.Â
The Tigers responded in the top of the sixth.
Daniella Brantley led off the inning with a solo homerun to left. The Tigers scored again in the inning when
Paige Purifoy was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, allowing
Sydney Guest to score.Â
Down by two, Ouachita was unable to score in the top of seventh. They would drop the final game of the series, 4-2.Â
The Tigers will travel to Ada, Oklahoma next weekend to face East Central University. The four-game series begins on Friday, March 4, at 1:00 p.m.Â