SEARCY, ARK. – The East Central University softball team split the final doubleheader at Harding in Great American Conference action. The Tigers (15-20, 12-12 GAC) fell 1-3 in the opener and then took game four 10-1 in five innings.
ECU was led by senior
Jordynn VanPelt, who hit .714 for the day, with five hits, two runs and five RBIs. Freshman
Michelle Brandon and freshman
Kasey Moore added .667 averages, with two hits each. The Tigers hit .400 as a team for the day, with a total of six players recording multiple hits for the day.
Junior
Kelbie Crelia earned the win in the circle in game two, throwing a complete game. Crelia allowed three hits and one run, while striking out three.
The Tigers will now get ready for a mid-week doubleheader with arch rival Southeastern Oklahoma State, Tuesday, March 29 in Durant, Okla., starting at 2 p.m. ECU will then be home for the weekend GAC series with Oklahoma Baptist, April 1-2 at Tiger Field.
East Central 10, Harding 1 (5)The second game of the day was all Tiger offense, as they recorded 15 hits and allowed just three by the Bison (25-11, 17-7 GAC).
Harding was the first to get on the scoreboard, with a single run in the first inning.
The Bison were able to hold ECU scoreless until the third inning, but the Tigers then scored 10 runs over the next three innings to force the run-rule into effect and end the game after the fifth.
ECU started with three runs in the third inning to take the 3-1 lead. Senior
Autumn Suydam started with a single and was sent around when VanPelt hit her ninth home run of the season. Senior
Lauren Reeves followed with a double and was sent to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior
Sydney Dow. After an out, Brandon singled to right to score Reeves.
The Tigers really got going in the fourth, tallying six runs for a 9-1 advantage. Senior
Taylor Davis started the inning with a double and after an out, VanPelt added a double to score the first run. The second out was then recorded, but Dow kept the inning going by drawing a walk.
Freshman
Caitlin Paolini earned an RBI with a single to short and Brandon was walked to load the bases. That allowed freshman
Mariah Ewy to earn two RBIs with a single and Crelia added two more with a single.
ECU then added a final run in the top of the fifth for a 10-1 lead. Suydam hit a bunt single and advanced to second due to a throwing error. VanPelt then set the run home with a single to center.
The Bisons got runners in scoring position in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to figure out a way to score to end the game at 10-1.
Harding 3, East Central 1The opening game of the day saw the Tigers get the scoring starting, taking a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning.
Taylor Davis started things with a single to right center and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Suydam. VanPelt earned the RBI with a double down the left field line.
The Bisons responded in the bottom of the inning to take a 1-2 lead. Harding then added another run in the second inning for a 1-3 score.
Both teams were able to get a few runners on base the rest of the game, but could not get any runs across the plate for the 1-3 final.
