ADA, Okla. – The East Central University softball team welcomed Southwestern Oklahoma State University for games one and two of the GAC series, opening with a pair of 4-2 wins in a Friday afternoon doubleheader at Tiger Field.
 
The win lifts ECU to 7-11 overall and 4-4 in conference play.
 
"Pitching, defense, and clutch hitting… I love seeing it all come together for us," Head Coach Destini Anderson said. "Zoe stepped up big time in both games today, but it was a complete team effort. We look to continue to build and grow as a team."
 
Game 1
The opening game of the day was slow to start, as both teams went scoreless for three complete innings before some action picked up in the fourth that proved to be the deciding factor.
 
SWOSU struck first in the fourth with an RBI single to plate a runner and take the 1-0 lead.  
 
ECU answered in the home half, though, with a big two-out rally.
 
Miranda Garza walked, advanced to second on Gabi Quintanilla's hit, and scored after Rikki Hadley hit to center to tie the game 1-1. Zoe Acosta was put in to pinch hit for Kenzie Lasker and delivered a 2 RBI single to drive in Quintanilla and Hadley and put ECU on top with the 3-1 lead.
 
The Bulldogs managed to tab another run in the fifth to cut the lead 3-2, but the Tigers responded once again.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Megan Lesko had a leadoff double and advanced to third after Jami Watson singled. Miranda Garza followed with a groundout to short which allowed Lesko to scurry home, which eventually set the final score at 4-2.
 
Taryn O'Brien picked up her fourth win, pitching a total of four innings and giving up one run on four hits while striking out three.
 
Taia Harris got the save, going one inning, giving up one hit, one walk, and adding a strikeout.
 
Lauren HerrNeckar also saw action on the mound, pitching two innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three.
 
Zoe Acosta added a hit and 2 RBI's while Rikki Hadley had a hit and RBI as well. Megan Lesko, Jami Watson, and Gabi Quintanilla had one hit each.
 
Game 2
Taia Harris set the tone of game two by dealing five strikeouts in two innings of work to give ECU the chance to jump on the board first.
 
The Tigers got the scoring going in the third inning when Josi Goodman was hit by pitch, then scored all the way from first off of Jayna Reid's double to left field to go up 1-0.
 
Harris continued to work in the circle, limiting SWOSU to zero hits for three straight innings before the Bulldogs made its last effort at a comeback at the end of the game.
 
SWOSU leadoff the seventh with a homer to tie the game 1-1.  After Harris walked the second batter, ECU reliever Lauren HerrNeckar was brought in. But a wild pitch and an RBI double brought in the second run for the 2-1 advantage heading into the final stanza.
 
Back-to-back singles from Gabi Quintanilla and Rachelle Mengwasser put the Tigers in scoring position. With two outs, pinch hitter Zoe Acosta stepped up once again, this time crushing a three-run walk-off homerun for the 4-2 victory and doubleheader sweep.
 
Lauren HerrNeckar got her first win of the season, pitching one inning while only allowing one hit and adding a strikeout.
 
Taia Harris saw six innings on the mound, allowing two runs on five hits while adding eight strikeouts.
 
Acosta had one hit and 3 RBI's while Jayna Reid picked up two hits and an RBI. Miranda Garza, Gabi Quintanilla, and Rachelle Mengwasser had one hit apiece.

The East Central University softball team will play a single game at noon Saturday, March 11 for the series finale.