BENTONVILLE, Ark. – East Central claimed its first Great American Conference Softball Championship title as the Tigers defeated top-seeded Henderson State, 5-1, thanks to five first-inning runs. ECU starter Lacey Paulk beat the Reddies for the second time in as many days. She threw an eight-inning complete game. In those two starts, she allowed only one run in 14.0 IP and took home the Tournament MVP honors.
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GAC Softball Championships - Game 15 |
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#2 East Central (32-14) |
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#1 Henderson State (41-13) |
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HOW THEY SCORED:
ECU 1st – Lauren Reeves grounded out to pitcher; Taylor Davis scored.
ECU 1st – Samantha McGraw reached on an error; Jordynn VanPelt and Autumn Suydam scored.
ECU 1st – Kayci Snider doubled to right center; Kaile Marcum and Josephina Layman.
HSU 2nd – Ashlyn White homered to right field.
AT THE PLATE:
ECU - Snider: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Davis: 1-for-3, R
HSU - White: 1-for-3, HR; Sarah Gipson: 2-for-4; Taylor Daniels: 2-for-3, 2B
ON THE MOUND:
W – Lacey Paulk (11-2): CG, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R/1 ER, 2 K/3 BB
L – Michelle Sorensen (20-10); 0.2 IP, 1 H, 5 R/1 ER, 0 K/2 BB
NOTABLE:
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East Central becomes fourth different school to win GAC Softball Championships (UAM - 2012; SE - 2013; SAU -2014)
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ECU - second-straight No. 2 seed to win GAC Softball Championship
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ECU earns automatic bid to NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament
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NCAA.com Selection Show airs at 9 AM on Monday.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Tournament MVP - Lacey Paulk (East Central)
Taylor Davis (East Central)
Autumn Suydam (East Central)
Lauren Reeves (East Central)
Samantha McGraw (East Central)
Amy Halter (Henderson State)
Sarah Gipson (Henderson State)
Michelle Sorensen (Henderson State)
Tricia Hock (Henderson State)
Alex Edinger (Arkansas Tech)
Whitney Robinson (Arkansas Tech)
Jill Clemence (Southern Nazarene)
Jessica Simmons (Southeastern Oklahoma State)
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GAC Softball Championships - Game 14 |
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#1 Henderson State (41-12) |
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#2 East Central (31-14) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Henderson State forced the second "if necessary" game in GAC Softball Championship history as they withstood a seventh-inning rally from East Central to win 4-3. The Tigers had the bases loaded with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh inning but GAC Freshman and Pitcher of the Year Michelle Sorensen induced a double play and a ground out to finish off the win.
HOW THEY SCORED:
HSU 1st – Kiersten Seahorn homered to right field; Tricia Hock scored.
HSU 2nd – Ashlyn White homered to right center.
HSU 4th – Hock doubled down the right field line; White scored.
ECU 4th – Kaile Marcum walked; Carlee Henderson scored on a wild pitch.
ECU 4th – Amanda Edmundson reached on an error; Marcum and Peyton Watson scored.
AT THE PLATE:
HSU - Seahorn: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R; White: 2-for-3: HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R; Hock: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
ECU - Watson: 2-for-4, 2B, R; Autumn Suydam: 2-for-4
ON THE MOUND:
W – Michelle Sorensen (20-9); CG, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R/0 ER, 3 K/6 BB
L – Marissa Shaffer (13-7): CG, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R/2 ER, 4 K/0 BB
NOTABLE:
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Michelle Sorensen: became third pitcher to win four games at a single GAC Softball Champion
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Sorensen: 4-1 with a 1.27 ERA at the GAC Championships; has 28 K in 27.2 IP
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HSU improved to 4-1 against ECU at the GAC Softball Championships