SEARCY, Arkansas – The Ouachita softball team went toe-to-toe with No. 17 Harding but came up short in the Friday doubleheader, falling 8-6 in game one and 2-1 in game two.
Game One: No. 17 Harding 8, Ouachita 6
The first game of the weekend was a high-scoring affair. Ouachita got the scoring started early with three runs in the top of the first. A two-out, two-RBI double from
Karley Burrow put the Tigers on the board after bringing around
Jordyn Merrett and
Baylee King. Burrow was then brought home on an RBI single off the bat of
Jessalyn Ahrens to put the Tigers up 3-0 after half an inning. No. 17 Harding answered with three runs in the first to tie the game and added two more in the second, giving the Bisons a 5-3 lead.
The Tigers offense got hot again in the third inning.
Remington Adams hit an RBI double to left center, scoring King for the second time in three innings. Adams later came home after a wild pitch to tie the game up 5-5. Five batters later,
Emily Whitman worked an RBI walk to score Ahrens, putting the Tigers up 6-5. The No. 17 Bisons tied the game back up in the bottom of the third on a solo homer. Harding added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings while Ouachita scoreless over the final four frames and the Tigers fell by the final score of 8-6.
Burrow led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate that including two RBI and a run scored.
Ahrens was next in hits after going 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Catie Amador pitched a complete game and struck out one in the loss.
Game Two: No. 17 Harding 2, Ouachita 1
In contrast to the opening game, the second game of the day turned into a pitcher's duel. After a scoreless first inning, Harding struck first with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning, but Ouachita was quick to answer.
Callie Kilburn led off the top of the third with a double down the left field line. Kilburn was brought home on the very next at bat on an RBI single from
Emily Whitman, tying things up 1-1. The Bisons tried to get something going offensively in the bottom of the inning with two runners on and no outs, but after a fly out, the Tiger defense turned a double play on a fielder's choice, getting runners out at second base and home plate to end the rally.
Ouachita held Harding scoreless over the next two innings, but the No. 17 Bisons scratched a run across in the bottom of the sixth, taking a one-run lead. The Tigers got the tying run on base in the seventh inning, but couldn't bring them home, giving Ouachita the 2-1 loss.
Whitman was the lone Tiger to record multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Kilburn went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Karley Burrow got the start in the circle for Ouachita. The Paragould, Arkansas native pitched 5.1 innings and struck out one in the loss.
The Tigers will look to bounce back in the series finale, which is scheduled for a noon start tomorrow, Saturday, March 1 in Searcy, Arkansas.
