BETHANY, Okla. -- The Ouachita softball team dropped its second straight series against Southern Nazarene, falling by final scores of 5-4 and 10-2 in Saturday's doubleheader.
Ouachita struck first after junior Karley Burrow pulled a two-out RBI double to take a 1-0 lead. The Tigers added another run in the second inning to put early pressure on the Crimson Storm as junior Jordyn Merrett drove in freshman Addison Davidson with a double into center field.
Southern Nazarene answered with a five-spot in the bottom half of the second. The Crimson Storm capitalized on three walks before Eden Anderson cleared the bases with a triple, then later scored to turn a two-run deficit into a 5-2 lead.
Ouachita chipped away scoring a run in the fifth as freshman Morgan Uher ripped a two-out, RBI double to left field. Uher led the Tigers going 4-for-7 at the plate Saturday. The Tigers got aggressive with a double steal in the sixth that allowed junior Crissa Ahrens to score from third to bring Ouachita within reach, but the rally came up just short. Ouachita was held to four runs on eight hits, while Southern Nazarene totaled five runs on just four hits.
The Tigers claimed an early lead in the series finale after Uher reached on a dropped third strike, then junior Emily Reed made them pay for it with an RBI double down the left field line.
Sophomore Catie Amador got the start in the finale and retired six of the first seven batters she faced. Southern Nazarene sent all nine hitters to the plate in the third, ignited by a leadoff homer by Macy Stewart. The Crimson Storm capitalized on fielding errors to score three more unearned runs and seize control with a 4-2 lead. Merrett led off the fifth with a triple, then later scored to cut the deficit in half. After the Tigers retired the first two batters in the bottom half, the Crimson Storm rolled with seven straight hitters reaching safely to complete the run-rule in five innings.
Three tough innings led to a sixth straight loss, dropping the Tigers to 8-15 overall and 5-7 in Great American Conference play. Ouachita visits cross-street rival Henderson State for a midweek night game on Tuesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
