ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita softball team split its Friday doubleheader against Division I University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, winning 2-1 then falling 8-5 at Langston Field.
Game One: Ouachita 2, UAPB 1
Ouachita started out the afternoon hot, forcing Arkansas-Pine Bluff down in order in the top of the first and following it up with two runs in the bottom of the first.
Emily Reed got the scoring started with a one out RBI single to center field that scored
Baylee King.
Emily Whitman followed with an RBI groundout that scored
Remington Adams and put the Tigers out front 2-0.
From there, the pitchers' duel was on. Ouachita and starting pitcher
Catie Amador held the Golden Lions hitless through three innings before UAPB broke up the shutout with a solo home run, making the score 2-1 in the fourth. After the homer, the Tigers only allowed one more hit by Pine Bluff, a single in the fifth inning, holding on to their lead to secure the 2-1 victory.
King recorded two hits, one being a triple, and a run scored in the win and was the only Tiger to record multiple hits. As a team, Ouachita outhit UAPB 7-2.
Amador earned her second win of the season in the circle after pitching a full seven innings. The Burleson, Texas native struck out a new season-high seven batters while allowing just two hits and a single run.
Game Two: UAPB 8, Ouachita 5
In the second game of the afternoon, both teams were held hitless through the first two innings. Arkansas-Pine Bluff got on the board first with four runs in the third inning to take an early lead. The Golden Lions added a three-spot in the fourth to go up 7-0 and plated another run in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead over the Tigers.
Ouachita broke up the Lions' no-hit bid with a Reed double in the fifth inning.
Jessalyn Ahrens scored Reed a few pitches later with a sacrifice fly to center field that put the Tigers on the board. The Ouachita offense started to rally in the bottom of the seventh. An Ahrens RBI single scored
Hope Johnson to make the score 8-2.
Bella Roseberry walked to load the bases with two outs and Whitman came up with a three-RBI double down the left field line that scored Reed, Ahrens, and Roseberry, making it a three-run game. However, the Tiger rally fell short, and Ouachita fell by the final score of 8-5.
Emily Reed went 2-for-2 with two runs scoring coming off the bench.
Kodee Batchelor pitched the final inning for Ouachita and recorded two strikeouts in four batters.
Tuesday Melton got the start in the circle and struck out two but earned the loss.
The Tigers will look to take the series in the game-three rubber match that is set for Sunday, February 16 at 2 p.m. at Langston Field. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but was pushed back a day due to forecasted storms.
