ADA, Okla. – The East Central University softball team played its first two games of the GAC season, dropping a doubleheader to Southern Arkansas University Friday afternoon at Tiger Field.
 
"I really liked the fight that we showed toward the end of both games," Head Coach Destini Anderson said. "But we need to have that same kind of fight every pitch every inning and not allow ourselves to get in a hole."
 
Game 1
SAU opened up the scoring in game one, racking up three runs in the first and five in the second to take an early 8-0 lead.
 
The Tigers manufactured a run in the bottom of the frame after Jayna Reid drew a walk, stole second, and crossed home plate from Miranda Garza's RBI double to right field. But ECU wasn't able to keep the rally going.
 
The Muleriders tabbed another unanswered run in the top of the third for an eight-run lead to secure the 9-1 win in five innings.
 
Game 2
ECU bounced back from the first game to make it a competitive match against SAU.
 
Tigers starting pitcher Taryn O'Brien had a strong outing and cruised through the early innings before giving up an RBI single in the fifth to give the Muleriders a 1-0 lead.
 
ECU only trailed by one approaching the final innings before SAU was able to break the game open with six runs in the sixth to pull away 7-0.
 
The Tigers answered in the bottom of the seventh with a late rally. Gabi Quintanilla walked, Ricki Hadley singled up the middle, and Megan Lesko's hit drove in Quintanilla and Hadley. Josi Goodman followed with a single to right field to get Hadley in, but the three runs were too little too late, and SAU won by a final score of 7-3.
 
O'Brien took the loss on the mound, going 5 2/3 innings while giving up 11 hits with three strikeouts. 
 
The East Central University softball team will play in the series finale Saturday, Feb. 25 at 12 p.m.