ADA – The East Central University softball team fell 4-5, 2-5 to Henderson State in the first Great American Conference games of the 2015 season at Tiger Field.
Photo GalleryThe Tigers (3-7, 0-2 GAC) were led by junior
Taylor Davis, who hit .500 for the day, with three hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Senior
Lacey Williams-Wenholm added two hits, a home run and two RBIs.
Sophomore
Sydney Dow threw the first five innings of game one, allowing five hits and five runs, while striking out six. Junior
Marissa Shaffer suffered the loss in game two, with a complete game and five strikeouts.
ECU and the Reddies (11-3, 2-0 GAC) will face off again Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12 p.m. at Tiger Field.
Game 1 – HSU 5, ECU 4The Tigers were the first to get on the scoreboard, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. Senior
Kaile Marcum led off the game by reaching on a throwing error and then stole second. She was advanced to third by junior
Autumn Suydam, who grounded out. Davis then tallied a double up the middle to score the run.
ECU made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second when Dow and Williams-Wenholm were both walked. Senior
Samantha McGraw advanced the runners with a sacrifice but and put Dow in position to score when senior
Peyton Watson grounded out to second.
The Tigers added two more runs to the scoreboard in the third on a Davis single and junior
Jordynn VanPelt home run to right center for a 4-0 lead.
However, that is when the Reddies took over on offense and tallied a run in the fourth and fifth to cut the lead in half. HSU then came out in the top of the sixth and added three runs for a 4-5 lead.
ECU was unable to get a rally going in the bottom of the seventh and fell 4-5.
Game 2 – HSU 5, ECU 2The Tigers were again the first to add runs to the scoreboard, with two in the bottom of the first inning. Davis drew a one-out walk and was sent home when Williams-Wenholm hit a shot over the left field fence.
The Reddies didn't wait long to respond and earned five runs in the top of the second to take a 2-5 advantage.
Defense was then key to the game, as the teams combined for just five hits the rest of the game and ECU fell 2-5.