BENTONVILLE, ARK. - The East Central University softball team will get one more day off before starting the 2019 Great American Conference Softball Championship Tournament.  Due to thunderstorms the final two games of the day have been moved to Saturday, May 4.  The Tigers will face Southeastern, May 4 at 1:15 p.m.  Keep watching www.ecutigers.com  or the @ECUTigers twitter account for the latest updates.

ADA, OKLA - For the eighth-straight season, the East Central University will make its way to the GAC Championship Tournament in Bentonville, Ark.  The tournament had to shortened to single-elimination and to Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5 due to thunderstorms across the area for the week.

2019 GAC Tournament Bracket

The Tigers (26-24, 22-19 GAC) head to this year's tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face their arch rival No. 4 Southeastern Oklahoma State, Friday, May 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Bentonville High School Tiger Athletic Complex.

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Tiger Quick Hits

• ECU earned its spot in the highly contested field for the 2019 GAC Championships after sweeping Southwestern Oklahoma State in the final regular season games (April 26-27)
  • Claimed the spot after Friday's victories
  • Marked an eight-game winning streak
    • Swept Oklahoma Baptist the weekend before (April 18-19)
  • Ended the season with a 13-game home winning streak
    • Dates back to March 26 – W, 6-2 vs. Southeastern
      • 4-0 vs. Henderson State (March 30-31)
• The eight-straight years advancing to the GAC tournament dates back to the start of the GAC in 2011-12
  • ECU advanced to the Lone Star Conference tournament in 2011 and 2010
    • Streak at 10-straight years in the postseason
• The Tigers are hitting .327 as a team in 2019
  • Two players hitting over .400
    • So. Tarah Hilton: .408 batting avg., 39 GP, 37GS, 23 runs, 49 hits, 12 doubles, 7 home runs, 47 RBIs, .683 slugging pct., 20 walks, 1 HBP, 9 Ks, 1 SAC BU, 1-for-1 stolen bases, 74 putouts, 14 assisted outs, .967 fielding pct.
    • Sr. Sable Hankins: .408 batting avg., 49 GS, 55 runs, 60 hits, 12 doubles, 15 home runs, 49 RBIs, .796 slugging pct., 38 walks, 3 HBP, 14 Ks, 3 SAC Flies, 2 SAC BU, 6-for-6 stolen bases, 26 putouts, 95 assisted outs, .903 fielding pct.
  • Eight more hitting over .300
• Jr. Kaytlyn Kizarr has a 1.000 fielding pct. for the season
  • 48 GPS, 43 GS, .371 batting avg., 21 runs, 43 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 6 RBIs, 12 BBs, 4 HBP, 8 Ks, 6 SAC BU, 9-for-10 stolen bases, 62 putouts, 5 assisted outs
• Sr. Breecia Crawford: 39 GP, 36 GS, .342 batting avg., 24 runs, 38 hits, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 24 RBIs, .667 slugging pct., 10 BBs, 4 HBP, 2 SAC flies, 5 SAC BU, 3-for-4 stolen bases, 53 putouts, 4 assisted outs, 1 error, .991 fielding pct.
• Sr. Aundrea Hamric is the only player to have seen action in all 50 games, starting in 45
  • .318 batting pct., 23 runs, 28 hits, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 7 RBIs, 7 BBs, 1 HBP, 13-for-15 stolen bases, 3 SAC BU, 83 putouts, 9 assisted outs, 2 errors, .979 fielding pct.
• Five pitchers have seen action in the circle this season
  • Three have appeared in 20+ games
  • So. Jacey Henry leads the team with 31 appearances, 19 starts, 9 complete games, 2 shutouts and 2 saves
    • 12-11 record, 3.77 ERA, 133.2 IP, 151 hits and 89 runs (72 earned) allowed, 49 BBs, 71 Ks, .282 opponent batting avg.
  • Fr. Paige Leschber is next with 23 appearances, 15 starts, 5 complete games, 1 shutout, 1 save
    • .329 ERA, 9-4 record, 100.0 IP, 95 hits and 61 runs (47 earned) allowed, 63 BBs, 53 Ks, .252 opponent batting avg.
  • So. Jessica Sisemore is the only other pitcher with over 20 appearances
    • 21 appearances, 8 games started, 2 complete games, 3 saves
      • 4-3 record, 52.1 IP, 62 hits and 44 runs (38 earned) allowed, 49 BBs, 21 Ks, .290 opponent batting avg.

Against the Competition

• The Tigers and the Savage Storm (27-27, 25-19 GAC) split both mid-week doubleheaders this year
  • ECU earned a .306 to .280 lead in batting avg.
    • Out-scored Southeastern 19-12
    • Out-hit Southeastern 33-28
      • Extra-Base Hits: ECU 8 doubles, 4 homeruns / SE 1 triple, 4 home runs
  • The Tigers also recorded a 2.42 ERA to a 5.12 mark by the Savage Storm
  • ECU saw four players hit over .400 in the series
    • Henry: .500 batting avg., 1 run, 3 hits, 1 RBI, 2 HBP, 3 assisted outs
    • Hankins: .462 batting avg., 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 home runs, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SAC BU, 2 putouts, 6 assisted outs
    • Kizarr: .455 batting avg., 4 runs, 5 hits, 1 double, 9 putouts
    • Sr. Mariah Ewy: .444 batting avg., 2 runs, 4 hits, 3 doubles, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 7 putouts, 3 assisted outs
  • Henry also went 1-1 in the circle in three appearances, 2 games started and 1 complete game
    • 10.1 IP, 13 hits and 7 runs (5 earned) allowed, 4 BBs, 7 Ks
  • Leschber picked up the other win, with a complete game and a 1.00 ERA
    • 7.0 IP, 4 hits and 2 runs (1 earned) allowed, 4 BBs, 4 Ks, .160 opponent batting avg.
  • Southeastern saw two players hit .400-or-better in the series
    • Symphoni Shomo: .455 batting avg., 5 hits, 1 RBI, 3 BBs, 3 Ks, 5-for-6 stolen bases, 9 putouts, 13 assisted outs, 1.000 fielding pct.
    • Mykaela Wallace: .417 batting avg., 3 runs, 5 hits, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 10 putouts, 9 assisted outs
  • Katie McCullar earned both wins in the circle for the Savage Storms
    • 3 appearances, 3.42 ERA, 2 GS, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 14.1 IP, 11 hits and 7 runs allowed, 1 BB, 5 Ks, .208 opponent batting avg.
• A win against Southeastern would pit the Tigers against the winner of No. 1 Southern Arkansas and No. 8 Ouachita Baptist
  • The Tigers were 0-4 against SAU this season
  • ECU was 0-3 against Ouachita in 2019