ADA – The East Central University softball team came out strong in day one of a four-game Great American Conference series against Southern Arkansas, winning the double-header with scores of 7-2 and 9-5.

Photo Gallery

The Tigers (18-11, 15-6 GAC) were led by junior Jordynn VanPelt, who hit .667 for the day with four hits, two runs and six RBIs.  Fellow junior Autumn Suydam added a .667 average, with four hits, four runs and three RBIs.

Junior Marissa Shaffer picked up the win in game one, throwing a complete game.  She allowed eight hits and two runs, while striking out five.  Senior Brianna Nunley threw the first five innings of game two and picked up the win, with junior Lacey Paulk earning her first save to the year.  Nunley allowed nine hits and five runs, while Paulk allowed just one hit and zero runs.

The teams will wrap up the series, Friday, April 3 starting at 1 p.m .at Tiger Field.

Game 1 – ECU 7, SAU 2
The Tigers opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, taking a 4-0 lead.  After the first out senior Samantha McGraw hit a double to left field and was joined on base by senior Kayci Snider, who drew a walk.  The bases were then loaded on a bunt single from junior Autumn Suydam. 

Junior Taylor Davis then earned the first RBI with a single down the right line.  Senior Kaile Marcum followed by reaching due to an error to score a run.  VanPelt then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score the third run, while senior Lacey Williams-Wenholm earned the final RBI with a single to left.

ECU continued to add to their lead in the third, with three more runs.  Junior Lauren Reeves started the inning with a single to left center and was sent to second on a sacrifice bunt by McGraw.  Snider singled to left center and Suydam earned the first RBI with a single to left.  Marcum loaded the bases with a single to short, which set up VanPelt for two RBIs on a hard hit single through the left side.

SAU got on the scoreboard in the fifth, cutting the deficit to 7-2.

Game 2 – ECU 9, SAU 5
The Muleriders (17-11, 9-11 GAC) were the first to get on the scoreboard in the second game of the day, scoring a run in the first and one more in the third for a 0-2 advantage.

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the third, taking a 3-2 advantage after two outs were recorded.  Davis started things with a single that dropped in fair territory down the right line.  She was joined on bases by Marcum, who singled.  That set up VanPelt for two RBIs with a double off the left field fence.  Junior Amanda Edmundson scored the final run when she hit a double to right center.

ECU extended their lead in the fourth, scoring three more runs for a 6-2 advantage.  Redshirt junior Peyton Watson led off with a double to left center and was followed on base by freshman Hayley Hyatt who laid down a bunt single and then stole second.  Suydam sent the first run home with a single and the final two runs were scored on a double by Davis.

SAU responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 6-4.  The Muleriders also scored in the top of the sixth to cut the advantage to one, 6-5.

The Tigers did not go away and scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth.  The inning started with Suydam sending her first ball out of the park for the season on the first pitch.  Davis kept the inning going with a single and was sent to second on a sacrifice bunt.  VanPelt sent the next run home with a double to left center and freshman Lauren Miller added the final run with a double to right center for the 9-5 lead.