OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. – The East Central University softball team got back to action and picked up two wins against Harding on a neutral field in Great American Conference action.  The Tigers (7-9, 4-4 GAC) took game one 11-5 and then game two 6-4.

ECU was led offensively by senior Kaile Marcum with a .667 hitting percentage and four hits.  Junior Jordynn VanPelt added four runs, four hits and three RBIs for a .571 average.

Senior Lacey Paulk and sophomore Sydney Dow each earned a win in the circle, with Dow throwing a complete game.  Paulk threw 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, two runs and struck out three, while Dow allowed seven hits, four runs and earned eight strikeouts.

The series will shift the series back to Ada, Okla., to play a double-header, Sunday, March 8 at noon at Tiger Field.

Game 1 – ECU 11, Harding 5
The Bisons were the first to get on the scoreboard, taking a 0-1 lead after the first inning.  The Tigers countered with two runs in the second for a 2-1 lead.

Senior Samantha McGraw singled and was replaced on the base path by sophomore Hayley Hyatt, who stole second.  Hyatt was sent home when VanPelt tripled to center.  After an out senior Kayci Snider added the final run of the inning with a single to left center.

Harding took the lead back in the third with two runs and then added two in the fourth for a 2-5 advantage.

Neither team scored in the next inning, but in the sixth the Tigers exploded with nine runs for the 11-5 lead.  McGraw singled and was sent home when VanPelt added a single.  The bases were loaded with a single by senior Lauren Reeves and a walk by Snider.  Redshirt junior Peyton Watson earned an RBI with a sacrifice fly, junior Autumn Suydam scored one with a single and the bases were loaded against with a single by Marcum.

That allowed junior Taylor Davis to send a run home with a single to right and senior Lacey Williams-Wenholm to earn three RBIs with a triple to right center.  VanPelt sent the final two runs home with a home run.

Game 2 – ECU 6, Harding 4
The second game started like the first, with the Bisons getting on the board first with two runs in the first inning.

The Tigers tied the game at two in the second on a double from VanPelt, a single from Dow and two errors by Harding. 

ECU then took a 4-2 lead in the third on a single by Williams-Wenholm and a home run to left field by McGraw.

The Bisons weren't done fighting and tied the game at four, with two runs in the fourth inning.

The Tigers responded immediately, with a run in the bottom of the fourth.  After two outs Suydam and Marcum both singled and then Suydam was able to score on a double-steal attempt.

ECU added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.  Watson hit a one-out double and the bases were loaded with singles from Suydam and Marcum.  After the second out of the inning, McGraw earned the final RBI with a single to the pitcher.