SOFTBALL
Arkansas Tech wins GAC tournament title
Arkansas Tech University completed an undefeated run through the Great American Conference Softball Championships as the Golden Suns rallied for a 2-1 victory against Southern Nazarene on Sunday at the Tiger Athletic Complex in Bentonville.
The Golden Suns (43-17) trailed 1-0 in the fifth inning until Bailey Bunch hit a two-out home run down the right-field line to even the score.
The game remained tied until the top of the seventh when Bunch came up with runners on first and second and two out. Her grounder to short eluded the glove of Kriston Shumaker, which allowed Sarah Coronado to score from second with the go-ahead run.
The Crimson Storm (27-28-1) pieced together a two-out rally in their half of the seventh inning as Kendall Stockstill singled and Mahina Sauer walked. Katelyn Brown lifted a 3-1 offering to right field that Janie Knowles hauled in for the game's final out.
Bunch and Knowles earned spots on the All-Tournament Team along with teammates Ashton Sangster, Makenzie Addis and Megan Goodnight, the tournament MVP.
Goodnight finished the tournament with a 2-0 record as a pitcher and a .429 average as a hitter. She did not allow an earned run in 13 1/3 innings, and she had a home run and 4 RBI. Bunch hit .353, Knowles went 6-for-13, Sangster stole five bases and Addis drove in six runs.
Brown took the ball as the Crimson Storm's starter for the fifth consecutive GAC championship game. She recorded her fourth complete game of the tournament and finished the week with a 3-2 record and a 1.70 ERA to garner All-Tournament honors for the second consecutive year.
Caitlyn Curlee and Kaley Knox joined Brown on the All-Tournament Team. Knox hit .417 for the week and Curlee had four hits. GAC Player of the Year Brooke Goad and Pitcher of the Year Victoria Taylor represented Southern Arkansas University on the team. Harding University's Amanda Berry also made the team.
BASEBALL
SAU knocks off UAM
Southern Arkansas University defeated two-time defending champion University of Arkansas-Monticello 15-6 on Sunday in a GAC Baseball Championships elimination game at David Allen Memorial Ballpark in Enid, Okla.
Southern Arkansas (33-17) hit a GAC Championship-record six home runs, including two off the bat of Cole Boyd, who finished 3 for 5. Boyd had a solo shot to lead off the fourth inning and a two-run blast in the Muleriders' pivotal seven-run sixth inning.
SAU starter Jacob Stroder cruised through the first three frames against the league's best scoring offense. Stroder continued to receive support from his hitters as Boyd's first home run in the top of the fourth extended the Mulerider advantage to 3-0.
The Weevils (30-19) scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth when Brian Ray went deep for his 11th of the season, but the excitement was short-lived as the Muleriders answered with three runs in the next half inning.
Elsewhere in the GAC tournament, Henderson State University used a big eighth inning to defeat Southwestern Oklahoma State 9-5 to stay alive. The Reddies (30-19) advance to face Southern Arkansas at 3:30 p.m. today.
Sports on 05/07/2018