ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita softball team closed out the 2025 McGhee-Hawkins Invitational with a two-game split; falling 6-5 to Christian Brothers in game one and winning 6-4 over Northeastern State in game two.
Game One: Christian Brothers 6, Ouachita 5
Ouachita (2-1) started off game one by forcing Christian Brothers (3-0) down in order and followed it up with two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-RBI Double from
Remington Adams. The Tigers held the Buccaneers scoreless through three innings and added to their lead with a leadoff solo homerun from
Karley Burrow, the first of her college career, to go up 3-0.
Emma Scales came through with an RBI single later in the inning to put the Tigers on top by four.
Christian Brothers cut the gap in half with two runs in the top of the fourth inning and brought the game within one run after top of the sixth. Ouachita added a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Burrow to go up 5-3. But the Bucs plated three in the seventh inning and the Tigers failed to answer. Ouachita fell to CBU by the final score of 6-5.
Three Tigers, Adams, Burrow, and
Katelyn Provence, each tallied two hits and a run scored in the loss. Burrow and Adams each posted two RBIs to go along with their two hits.
Game Two: Ouachita 6, Northeastern State 4
After a scoreless first inning, Ouachita (3-1) got things going in the second inning with an RBI groundout from
Jessalyn Ahrens and RBI single from
Bella Roseberry to take an early 2-0 lead. Both teams posted scoreless thirds, but Northeastern State (1-3) got on the board in the fourth, making the score 2-1.
Emily Reed extended the Tigers' lead in the fifth with a 3-run homer to center field, putting the Tigers up by four. The Riverhawks cut into their deficit in the sixth, making it a 5-3 ballgame. Ouachita responded with an insurance run thanks to a
Jordyn Merrett RBI single to take a 6-3 lead heading into the last chance for NSU. Northeastern State scored with two outs to close the gap to two before a fly out to center field ended the Riverhawks' rally and secured the 6-4 win for the Tigers.
Ouachita's 3-1 start on opening weekend is the team's best four-game start since the 2016 season, which also started 3-1.
Reed and Provence each recorded two hits in the win to lead the team. Reed also led the team with three RBI and two runs scored.
Callie Kilburn got the start and earned the win in her collegiate pitching debut after throwing five innings allowing just three hits.
Haley McAdams earned a save in her collegiate debut after pitching the final two innings, allowing just one run.
The Tigers will look to keep up the success of opening weekend when they travel to the Lone Star State to compete in Angelo State's George and Ola McCorkle Challenge from February 7-9 in San Angelo, Texas.
