ALVA, Okla. – The East Central University softball team traveled to Alva for their second Great American Conference series against Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Friday, securing a thrilling series win with back-to-back extra-inning comebacks, 10-6 and 4-3.
 
The Tigers will look to complete the sweep with a single game tomorrow at 12 p.m.
 
GAME 1 | ECU 10, NWOSU 6
Northwestern Oklahoma State jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning before ECU answered in the second, tying the game with two runs on three hits. Emily Bingham's RBI single brought in Caton Muncy, followed by Carsyn Cox's RBI single that plated Shayne Roberts to even the score at 2-2.
 
However, the Rangers regained the lead in the bottom of the second, and after adding another run in the third and two more in the fourth, they held a 6-2 advantage.
 
But ECU didn't back down, finding their rhythm in the fifth inning with four runs on three hits. Jami Watson's RBI double scored Elyse LeClair, and a groundout by Caton Muncy allowed Jaicee Stott to cross the plate. Abbey Strong added an RBI single, and Cox worked a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 6-6.
 
Neither team could break the tie in the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. In the ninth, ECU exploded for four runs to seal the win. Watson's RBI single gave the Tigers the lead, and Muncy's bases-clearing triple capped the scoring, securing a 10-6 victory in game one.
 
Taylor Spence started, pitching 3.2 innings while allowing six runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts. Lindsey Mauppin relieved Spence, throwing 5.1 shutout innings, allowing six hits and earning her fourth win of the season.
 
Cox went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, while Muncy added two hits and four RBIs. LeClair, Watson, and Roberts also contributed with two hits each.
 
GAME 2 | ECU 4, NWOSU 3
Game two was a pitcher's duel, with both teams held scoreless through the first three innings. As in game one, the Tigers found themselves trailing after Northwestern took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on three hits.
 
ECU answered in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a Ranger error that allowed Cox to score and cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
From there, Northwestern struggled to add to their lead, as the Tigers' defense and pitching held them scoreless the rest of the way.
 
In their final at-bats, ECU rallied, tying the game 3-3 with two runs on three hits. A groundout by LeClair scored McKinley Feazle, and Amiah Galcatcher's RBI single drove in Jaicee Stott to knot the score.
 
Though Northwestern escaped the threat in the eighth inning with two runners on base, ECU capitalized in the ninth. Cox led off with a single, and after LeClair's sacrifice bunt advanced her to second, Galcatcher delivered a deep shot to right field, allowing Cox to score the game-winning run and give ECU a 4-3 victory, completing the doubleheader sweep and securing the series win.
 
Amera Garner started the game, pitching four solid innings and allowing three runs on four hits. Chloe Williams finished strong in relief, throwing five scoreless innings with five hits allowed, earning her third win of the season.
 
Galcatcher and Feazle led the Tigers with three hits apiece, with Galcatcher adding two RBIs. Strong also contributed with a multi-hit game, adding two hits.