ARKADELPHIA – Ouachita battled back late to load the bases, but came up just short and lost the series finale 3-2 as Arkansas Tech completed a three-game sweep over the softball team at Langston Field. The Tigers dropped Saturday's opener 9-0 in five innings before nearly salvaging the finale in their final at-bat.
The Tigers pounced with renewed energy in the finale as redshirt-senior Remington Adams ignited the first inning with a leadoff double into the gap in right-center. Ouachita claimed its lone lead of the series after freshman Addison Davidson drilled an RBI single deep off the wall in right-center.
Arkansas Tech answered in the fourth inning as sophomore pitcher Aly White helped her own cause with a game-tying, two-run home run over the wall in left-center. The game remained deadlocked into the seventh, until Ouachita freshman third baseman Reagan McCoy made a diving stop on a grounder hit by Tech freshman Destiney Madewell, but the throw forced the first baseman to slightly lift her foot off the bag and allowed Madewell to reach safely. Junior Anna Winkfield later worked a full count before delivering a go-ahead RBI single up the middle to drive in the eventual winning run.
Ouachita mounted one final threat in the bottom of the seventh, following a sacrifice bunt. Junior Emily Reed delivered a single through the left side to move the tying run ahead to third base. Reed paced the Tigers at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 in Saturday's doubleheader. Despite loading the bases with just one out, the Tigers were unable to score the equalizer and left the potential tying run stranded at third. In the circle, junior Karley Burrow (3-2) took the loss, allowing just two earned runs in seven innings.
Arkansas Tech seized control from the second pitch of Game 2 as Winkfield led off the first with her fourth home run. Madewell later hit a 2-run blast over the left field wall for her third homer this season to increase the lead. Sophomore pitcher Ainslee Moore limited Ouachita to just three hits in the five-inning shutout. Ouachita fell to 10-24 overall and 6-12 in Great American Conference play, while Arkansas Tech improved to 22-8 and 15-3 in league action.
The Tigers aim to get back in the win column on the road next week with a three-game conference series at Arkansas-Monticello. The opener is scheduled on Thursday at 6 p.m.
