ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita softball team leaned on a dominant performance in the circle Friday night as sophomore pitcher Catie Amador secured a 3-0 shutout victory over Harding at Langston Field. 

Amador (4-3) struck out six hitters and held Harding scoreless through seven innings to earn her third straight win. Across her last three outings, Amador holds a mere 1.23 ERA, while striking out 16 batters in 17 innings. 

The Tigers plated the first runs in the third inning, courtesy of three consecutive knocks from the top of the lineup. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, freshman catcher Addison Davidson hit an RBI single up the middle past a diving shortstop to score junior Karley Burrow. Davidson was driven in by freshman Alaina Lyle, who lifted an RBI single over the head of Harding's third baseman to seize a 2-0 lead. The freshmen duo flourished as Davidson led Ouachita with two hits, while Lyle increased her hit streak to seven straight games and leads the Tigers with a .387 batting average.  

Harding threatened with three singles to load the bases in the fifth, but Amador answered the challenge and worked out of the jam with a inning-ending strikeout to keep the Bisons off the scoreboard. The shutout performance marked Amador's third straight decision as she maintained command and never allowed Harding to cut into the deficit. Ouachita added an insurance run to its lead late in the sixth inning as junior slugger Emily Reed belted a solo shot over the right field wall for her team-leading sixth home run of the season. 

The Tigers claimed the series opener to improve to 5-9 overall and 3-1 in Great American Conference play. Ouachita faces Harding in a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch set for noon at Langston Field.