WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Behind two home runs and five runs batted in from Sarah Johnson, the Ouachita Tigers split a doubleheader with the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs on Friday. SWOSU took the first game, 13-5, but the Tigers earned the 10-7 win in game two.

Southwestern Oklahoma State (14-18, 12-20 GAC) started the first game with a two-run first inning, but Johnson's three-run blast in the third inning gave Ouachita its first lead of the weekend. Gabby Gonzalez led off the top of the third with a single to center field, and Emily Acuna followed by reaching first on an error. After a sacrifice bunt by Kelly Powell to push the runners to second and third, Johnson brought everyone home.

The Bulldogs immediately responded, however, with two more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-3 lead. Marissa Butler, who started in the circle for Ouachita (11-26, 5-24 GAC), was replaced by Macy Nantz in the second inning but reentered after SWOSU took the lead back. Butler recorded consecutive strikeouts to end the inning and leave two Bulldogs on base.

In the fourth inning, Ouachita tied the score when Acuna picked up her ninth RBI of the season, but Southwestern answered again with nine runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Bulldogs recorded seven hits, five of them home runs, to take a commanding, 13-4 lead. 

Daniella Brantley, who tied with Johnson for a team-high two hits in the loss, recorded an RBI-single in the top of the fifth, but the Bulldogs then recorded three straight outs to end the contest in the fifth inning.

In game two, Ouachita took the early advantage, scoring two runs on Johnson's second homer of the day and her fourth of the season. Two singles and a home run by the Bulldogs, however, allowed Southwestern to take its first lead of the game in the bottom of the first. 

After a scoreless second inning, Ouachita scored two runs on three hits to take a 4-3 lead. Alex Jennings led off the inning with a walk and was followed with singles from Acuna, Kate Lacina and Paige Purifoy. 

Ouachita extended its lead to 6-3 in the fourth inning, when Johnson and Brantley hit back-to-back doubles, and two errors by the Bulldogs allowed a second run to score on the next at bat. Once again, the Bulldogs came back, scoring four runs on three hits and two errors in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead. 

Then, in the top of the seventh, Ouachita took complete control, as four consecutive batters reached base safely to lead off the inning. Purifoy started with a walk, before Gonzalez tripled to right center and Powell homered to left center. Nantz walked after the bases were cleared, and she later score the Tigers' 10th run on a single by Brantley. 

With a 10-7 lead, Kelsey O'Brien closed out the game for the Tigers, securing the win by retiring the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the seventh. O'Brien earned the win for Ouachita, her sixth of the season.

Powell and Gonzalez led Ouachita in game two with three hits each, while Powell, Johnson and Brantley each knocked in two runs. For the day, Johnson went 4-8 with five RBI, and Brantley went 4-7 with three runs batted in.

The Tigers will take on the Bulldogs again on Saturday, with another doubleheader scheduled for noon in Weatherford.