Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BENTONVILLE, ARK. – The East Central University softball team fell in its first game of the Great American Conference Tournament, 3-4 in 10 innings to Harding, but then rebounded to win 7-5 over Ouachita Baptist to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament.

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The Lady Tigers (33-24) were led by sophomore Jordynn VanPelt, who tallied a home run in each of the day's games and added a double and two singles for a .556 batting average.  She added three runs and three RBIs for the day.

Junior Brianna Nunley earned the win in the circle in the second game of the day, throwing five innings and allowing just one run and one hit, while holding OBU to a .056 batting average. 

Sophomore Lacey Paulk threw the last 4.1 innings of the first game and suffered the loss in her first appearance since March 29.  She allowed no hits, one run, walked two and struck out three.

ECU will next face Henderson State, Friday, May 2 at 1 p.m. at the Tiger Athletic Complex.

Game 1 – Harding 4, ECU 3 (10^th)
The Bisons were the first to get on the scoreboard, scoring a run in the bottom of the first for a 0-1 lead.

The Lady Tigers responded quickly in the top of the second.  After the first out, junior Chelsea Patterson singled through the right side and then stole second.  Patterson was sent to third on a ground out by junior Samantha McGraw.  That allowed her to cross the plate after sophomore Lauren Reeves reached on an error for the 1-1 score.

The score remained the same until the top of the fourth, when ECU added a run for a 2-1 advantage.  McGraw reached on an error after the first out and was sent to second when Reeves ground out.  McGraw then came around to score on a single to left field by junior Kaile Marcum.

The Lady Tigers added a run in the top of the fifth on a solo home run by VanPelt to right center for a 3-1 lead.

However, Harding countered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at three.

Both team's defense then held strong through the next inning, forcing extra innings.  After neither team scored again through the ninth, the international tie-breaker rule went into effect.  That placed a runner on second at for the start of the 10^th inning.

The Lady Tigers had a good chance to score in to top of the innings, with runners at second and third, with one out.  However, they were not able to send the run across the plate.

The Bisons took advantage and after two walks and a sacrifice bunt, as they had the bases loaded with just one out in the bottom of the 10^th.  The next batter then hit a sacrifice fly to center.  VanPelt sent the ball back home, but the tag was just missed and Harding earned the 3-4 win.

Game 2 – ECU 7, OBU 5
ECU took an early lead, with a run in the top of the first inning at Memorial Park.  Sophomore Autumn Suydam reached on an error after the first out and was moved to second when VanPelt was hit by a pitch.  Junior Lacey Williams earned the first RBI of the game with a single through the right side.

OBU countered with a run in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1, but VanPelt then put ECU up 2-1 with her second home run of the day and 15^th of the season.
Ouachita Baptist took a lead in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs for a 2-4 lead.

It took ECU two innings to start the come-back and it started with a single run in the top of the fifth.  Williams hit just her second home run of the season over the left field fence to cut the deficit to 3-4.

ECU then added four runs in the top of the sixth to gain a 7-4 advantage.  Marcum singled up the middle and was advanced to second when Suydam attempted a sacrifice bunt, but ran out the throw.  Senior Gina Mengwasser then added two RBIs with a double to right center. 

VanPelt made the score 6-4 with a double of her own down the left line.  Williams then singled up the middle and after the first out, McGraw earned the final RBI with a single to center field.

ECU held OBU scoreless in the bottom of the sixth with a double play to end the inning.  OBU allowed two runners on for ECU in the top of the seventh, but avoided any more runs crossing the plate.

That left three outs in the bottom of the seventh to complete.  OBU kept fighting and earned a run on three walks and an error to make it 7-5, but there were two outs and the last batter popped up to Patterson for the ECU win.

Note: The 10-inning game vs. Harding was the longest game in GAC Tournament history and the first time the international tie-breaker rules was used.