WEATHERFORD, OKLA. – The East Central University softball team split the second Great American Conference double-header with Southwestern Oklahoma State, making it an even split for the four game series. The Tigers (5-10, 2-2 GAC) earned an 8-6 victory in eight innings in the opening game of the day and then fell 3-4 in 10 innings in the second.
ECU was led by seniors
Taylor Davis and
Autumn Suydam at the plate, with both earning a .444 batting average, four hits and one RBI.
Junior
Sydney Dow earned the win in the circle in the first game, coming in for the final five innings. Dow allowed four hits and two runs and struck out eight. Junior
Kelbie Crelia started the game, allowing seven hits and four runs, with one K.
Senior
Lacey Paulk started the second game, throwing six innings, allowing four hits and three runs and striking out two. Senior
Marissa Shaffer suffered the loss in the final 3.1 innings, with two Ks, five hits and one run allowed.
The Tigers will come home for two-straight weekends, starting Feb. 26-27 when Northwestern Oklahoma State comes to Tiger Field. Double-headers are scheduled for both days, with Friday's starting at 1 p.m. and Saturday's at noon.
ECU 8, SWOSU 6 (8)The Bulldogs (4-10, 2-2 GAC) opened the scoring with four runs on five hits in the third inning.
ECU waited until the fifth inning to cut into the disadvantage, scoring two runs for a 2-4 score. After the first out, Davis singled through the middle and Suydam reached due to an error. The second out put runners on second and third and senior
Lauren Reeves sent two runs home when she reached due to an error.
SWOSU added to its lead with a single run in the fifth inning.
In the seventh, the Tigers took a 6-5 lead. Suydam singled to left field and was sent to second when senior
Jordynn VanPelt doubled through the left side. The bases were loaded when Reeves was hit by a pitch and a run was scored when Dow walked. Freshman
Mariah Ewy added a run with a groundout to short and the final two runs were scored by freshman
Caitlin Paolini who singled through the middle.
The Bulldogs did not go quietly and tied the game at six, with a single run in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings.
ECU didn't take long to score, going up 8-6 after the top of the eighth. After an out, Davis doubled and was sent around when Suydam doubled. VanPelt added a single and the second run was scored when Reeves flew out to right field.
SWOSU had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, with runners on first and second, but eventually Dow struck out three to end the inning and give the Tigers the 8-6 victory.
SWOSU 4, ECU 3 (10)The second game of the day also went into extra innings, but it was the Tigers who were the first to score. Ewy reached on a fielder choice and was sent to third on a single from Paolini. Ewy was then able to score on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead in the second.
The Bulldogs took an advantage in the sixth, scoring three runs.
ECU fought back and tied the game at three in the top of the seventh. After the first out, Paolini doubled to left and was sent to third on a single by freshman
Ellanee Allison. Davis earned an RBI with a single to left and Suydam was walked to load the bases. That allowed VanPelt to earn an RBI with a single to short.
SWOSU did not score in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings. The Tigers had a chance to earn the win in the ninth. ECU had the bases loaded, but the go-ahead run was thrown out at home.
The Bulldogs then took advantage and scored the needed run in the 10
th on a triple and single for the 3-4 final.
