ADA, Okla. – The East Central University softball team earned its first shutout and GAC series sweep of the 2023 season with a 7-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State University Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field.
 
The win improves ECU to 8-11 overall and 5-4 in conference play.
 
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the board as three singles from Elyse LeClair, Megan Lesko, and Gabi Quintanilla loaded the bases before Jami Watson's 3 RBI double to center allowed ECU to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the first.
 
SWOSU struggled to get their bats going most of the game, as they had no hits through the first three innings.
 
ECU tacked two more runs in the home half of the third after Quintanilla drew a walk, and Rikki Hadley sent a two-run bomb over the wall to extend the Tigers' lead to 5-0.
 
The Bulldogs' bats continued to get cold while the Tigers were getting hotter.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, back-to-back singles from Quintanilla and Watson, followed by a wild pitch, put the two runners on second and third waiting to come home. Hadley's RBI single drove in Quintanilla and advanced pinch runner Adrianna Swann to third. Then, an RBI single from Cheyenne Adair plated Swann that would eventually set the final score at 7-0 after seven innings.
 
Taylor Spence got the start and pitched a complete game, earning the victory after scattering only two hits in a seven-inning shutout while striking out eight.
 
Gabi Quintanilla Led with three hits, while Jami Watson and Rikki Hadley each collected two hits and 3 RBI's.
 
Jayna Reid, Megan Lesko, Miranda Garza, and Cheyenne Adair each picked up a hit.
 
The East Central University softball team will hit the road Tuesday, March 14 for a doubleheader matchup against Southeastern Oklahoma State University, with the first pitch set for 2 p.m.