ADA – The East Central University softball team stumbled in its first Great American Conference games of the 2017 season, falling to No. 2 Southern Arkansas 0-5 and 1-10 (5) at Tiger Field.

The Tigers (9-5, 0-2 GAC) saw four players record a total of seven hits for the day, with redshirt sophomore Aundrea Hamric, sophomore Breecia Crawford and sophomore Caitlin Paolini each netting two hits.  Hamric led the team with a .500 average.

Senior Kelbie Crelia threw a complete game in the opening game of the day, striking out nine batters and allowing eight hits and five runs.

The teams will wrap up the four-game series, Saturday, Feb. 25 with a double-header set to start at 12 p.m.

Southern Arkansas 5, East Central 0
The teams played tough defense through the first three innings of game one, allowing no runs to cross the plate.

However, the Muleriders (12-2, 2-0 GAC) got things started in with a run in the fourth inning.  SAU then added three more runs in sixth inning and a final run in the seventh for the 0-5 final.

Southern Arkansas 10, East Central 1 (5)
The second game of the day saw the Muleriders come out of the gates ready to battle, scoring eight runs in the top of the first inning.

ECU got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning.  After the first out Crawford doubled to right center and Paolini followed with a single to put runners on first and third.  When the next batter struck out, but the final strike resulted in a passed ball to score a run for the 1-8 score.

SAU then added two more runs in the top of the fifth to send the game with a 1-10 final.