ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The East Central University softball team closed out its 2026 season on the road at Henderson State in its final Great American Conference series, competing with postseason hopes on the line and ultimately falling in all three contests to the Reddies.
The weekend also marked the final games in an ECU uniform for
Elyse LeClair and
Kennedy Schroeder. LeClair capped her career in record-setting fashion, recording her 25th stolen base of the season to break the program's single-season record, previously held by head coach Autumn Wyatt (Suydam) since 2016.
ECU opened the weekend with a strong start in game one. The Tigers plated five runs in the second inning, highlighted by an RBI single from
Kenni Tudor and a grand slam from
Lindsey Mauppin to take an early 5-0 lead.
Henderson State responded with a four-run third inning, then tied the game in the fourth and took its first lead in the fifth. ECU answered in the sixth when
Katelin Keller reached and an error allowed
Abbey Strong to score, evening the game at 6-6. The game moved into extra innings, where the Reddies secured an 8-6 walk-off victory in the eighth.
ECU finished game one with six hits, led by a multi-hit performance from
Sara Camplain.
Haley Kruger,
Hannah Whitaker,
Abbey Strong,
Katelin Keller,
Kenni Tudor and
Lindsey Mauppin each added a hit, while Mauppin drove in four runs and Tudor recorded an RBI.
Bradi Odom took the loss in the circle, tossing 5.2 innings while allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts. Mauppin provided brief relief, working 0.2 innings without allowing a hit, while Hughes closed out the game, giving up one run on two hits over the final inning.
In Saturday's second game, Henderson State capitalized on early opportunities. The Reddies scored in the second on a Tiger error before breaking things open with a four-run third inning. A fifth-inning RBI double added insurance, while ECU was held scoreless in a 6-0 loss.
ECU was limited to four hits in the contest, led by a two-hit performance from
Elyse LeClair.
Lillian Bacon and
Lindsey Mauppin each added a hit for the Tigers.
Kennedy Schroeder went the distance in the circle, allowing six runs on 11 hits over six innings while recording five strikeouts in the loss.
The Tigers battled in Sunday's series finale, showing resilience throughout the contest. After Henderson State struck first in the opening inning, ECU responded in the second with a two-run home run from
Lillian Bacon to take a 2-1 lead.
The Reddies evened the score in the third and regained the lead with a two-run fourth inning. ECU chipped away, cutting the deficit to 4-3 in the fifth on an RBI groundout by
Elyse LeClair before tying the game in the sixth on an RBI single from Bacon.
However, Henderson State answered in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring two runs to pull back in front. ECU was unable to respond in the seventh, falling 6-4 in the finale.
ECU totaled eight hits in game three, led by multi-hit performances from
Haley Kruger and
Lillian Bacon.
Elyse LeClair,
Lylith Harris,
Kenni Tudor and
Lindsey Mauppin each added a hit, with Bacon driving in three runs and LeClair recording an RBI.
Schroeder got the start, allowing four runs on four hits over 3.1 innings with one strikeout. Hughes took the loss in relief, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits across 1.2 innings, while Odom finished the game with a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.
