BENTONVILLE, Ark. – In Thursday’s final Great American Conference Softball Championship game, Harding defeated #8 Arkansas Tech in extra innings. It took 10 full innings for the Lady Bisons to upset the top seed, 1-0. Alexis Lawellin’s RBI double down the left field line proved to be the game-winning hit in this contest. Hannah Johnson won her 20th game of the year, while Jalissa Gum lost just her second on the season.
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 8 |
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| #1 Arkansas Tech (45-8) |
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| #4 Harding (36-22) |
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HOW THEY SCORED:
HU 10th – Alexis Lawellin doubled down the left field line; Amanda Berdon scored.
AT THE PLATE:
ATU – Ashley Anderson: 1-for-3
HU - Lawellin: 2-for-3, 2 BB, RBI; Kimmy Hendricks: 2-for-4; Kinsey Beck: 2-for-4
ON THE MOUND:
W – Hannah Johnson (20-8): CG, 10.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R/ 0 ER, 7 K/1 BB
L – Gum (19-2); CG, 9.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R/1 ER, 14 K/5 BB
NOTABLE:
- Gum: saw her streak of 54.2 innings without allowing an earned run end.
- Gum: 14 strikeouts, broke the GAC Championship record for a single game, her own, set earlier on Thursday against Southern Nazarene
- Tech and Harding played just the second GAC Championship game to go into extra inning scoreless since April 26, 2012 when SAU defeated Southeastern 2-0 in nine innings.
- Johnson: 18th complete game of the season
- Gum and Johnson combined to throw 303 pitches
WHAT’S NEXT:
Arkansas Tech: Will play Henderson State at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Harding: Will play Southern Arkansas at 11 a.m. on Friday.
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 7 |
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| #6 Henderson State (33-25) |
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| #2 Southern Arkansas (43-8) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Southern Arkansas withstood Henderson State’s late three-run seventh inning rally in Thursday’s winner’s bracket matchup on Thursday night from Tiger Athletic Complex. The Lady Muleriders defeated the Reddies, 5-3. Seven different Lady Muleriders produced at least one hit. Kaylee Garner earned her league-leading 22nd victory.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SAU 3rd – Taylor Guin doubled to second base; Summer Ehrig scored.
SAU 3rd – Darian Harris doubled to right field; Guin & Liz Hudgins scored.
SAU 3rd – Tyler Casada flied out to left field; Harris scored.
SAU 5th – Casada singled through the left side; Maddie Dow scored.
HSU 7th – Destiny Garza grounded out to third base; Morgan South scored.
HSU 7th – Ashlyn White doubled to left center; Courtney Warren & Shayla Wright scored.
AT THE PLATE:
HSU – Warren: 2-for-3, R; South: 2-for-3, R, White: 1-for-3, 2 RBI
SAU – Guin: 2-for-4, RBI, R; Casada: 1-for-2, 2 RBI; Ehrig: 1-for-2, R
ON THE MOUND:
W – Kaylee Garner (22-3): CG, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R/3 ER, 4 K/4 BB
L – Michelle Sorensen (20-11): 2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R/4 ER, K/2 BB
NOTABLE:
- After producing only two hits through the first six innings, the Reddies tallied three runs and four hits in the seventh inning.
- SAU recorded its fourth win over the Reddies this season (4-1).
- HSU’s White has six RBIs in five games against Southern Arkansas
- SAU becomes third straight No. 2 seed to win first two games at the GAC Championships
- SAU improves to 3-1 against Henderson State at the GAC Championships
WHAT’S NEXT:
Henderson State: Will play the Arkansas-Monticello/Southern Nazarene winner at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Southern Arkansas: Will play the Arkansas Tech/Harding winner at 11 a.m. on Friday.
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 6 |
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| #5 Arkansas-Monticello (30-28) |
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| #8 Southern Nazarene (28-30) |
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Southern Nazarene knocked out Arkansas-Monticello from the 2016 GAC Softball Championships as Sam Smith homered and drove in four runs while Kayla Wyatt threw a complete game with eight strikeouts.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SNU 1st – Sam Smith flied out to left field; Sydni Toilolo scored.
SNU 3rd – Toilolo doubled to left center; Cheyenne Reynolds.
SNU 3rd – Smith homered to right center; Jill Clemence and Toilolo scored
UAM 4th – Korie Parker hit by pitch; Kali Bolter scored.
UAM 4th – Kelbe Callaway scored on a wild pitch.
UAM 4th – Skyler Anderson scored on a wild pitch
UAM 7th – Bolter grounded out to shortstop; Kali Piha scored.
AT THE PLATE:
UAM – Callaway: 2-for-4, R; Piha: 1-for-2, 2 BB, 1 RBI
SNU – Smith: 1-for-2, HR, 4 RBI; Toilolo: 2-for-2, 2 R, 2B
ON THE MOUND:
W –Wyatt (19-14): CG, 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 K, 6 BB
L – Elizabeth Delafield: CG, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER
NOTABLE:
- Wyatt: eight strikeouts, increased total to 299, needs one to become GAC’s first pitcher with 300 strikeouts and a season and the sixth in Division II to reach that milestone this season
- Arkansas-Monticello lost its fifth-straight GAC Championship game
WHAT’S NEXT:
Arkansas-Monticello: Eliminated
Southern Nazarene: Will face No. 6 Henderson State at 3 p.m. on Friday.
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 5 |
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| #3 Southeastern Oklahoma State (25-30) |
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| #7 East Central (25-30) |
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East Central pounded out nine runs and 10 hits in the fourth inning to overcome an early deficit and eliminate Southeastern Oklahoma State from the GAC Softball Championships. Autumn Suydam provided the big blast with a grand slam. Sydney Dow added a two-run home run in the win.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SE 3rd – Laramie Beal doubled to right center; Sydney Kramer scored and Destiny Riddle scored.
ECU 4th – Ellanee Allison Allison singled up the middle; Lauren Reeves scored.
ECU 4th – Taylor Davis singled to right field; Dow scored.
ECU 4th –Suydam homered to center field; Davis scored, Mariah Ewy and Allison scored.
ECU 4th – Reeves grounded out to second; Jordynn VanPelt scored.
ECU 4th – Dow homered to center field; Lacey Paulk scored.
SE 7th – Kramer singled to right field; Mykaela Wallace scored.
SE 7th –Beal fouled out to right field; Riddle scored.
AT THE PLATE:
SE – Beal: 1-for-4 2B, 3 RBI; Kramer: 2-for-3, R, RBI
ECU – Suydam: 3-for-3, HR, 4 RBI; Davis: 3-for-4, R, RBI; Dow: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI
ON THE MOUND:
W – Marissa Shaffer (15-10): CG, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER
L – Emily Cudd (11-11): 3.0 IP, 8 H 4 ER
NOTABLE:
- For the third time in five seasons, the No. 3 seed posted an 0-2 record at the GAC Championships
- Suydam: 3-for-3 today, 5-for-10 against Southeastern this season with two home runs
- The nine runs in the fourth inning set a GAC Championship record for runs in an inning.
- For the first time in the GAC Southeastern Oklahoma State failed to win a Championship game
WHAT’S NEXT:
East Central: Will Play the Arkansas Tech/Harding loser at 1 p.m. on Friday.
Southeastern Oklahoma State: Eliminated
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 4 |
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| #5 Arkansas-Monticello (30-27) |
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| #4 Harding (35-22) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Harding ended its three-game GAC Tournament losing streak with a 10-3 victory against Arkansas-Monticello in Thursday's opening round game from the Tiger Athletic Complex. Eight Lady Bisons players recorded at least one hit, including four who recorded multiple hits.
HOW THEY SCORED:
HU 1st – Kimmy Hendricks doubled to right field; Courtney Derrick scored.
HU 1st – Mackenzie Jones singled to center field; Hendricks scored.
UAM 2nd – Skyler Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice; Ashton Currey scored on a throwing error.
HU 3rd – Peyton Mills doubled to left center; Alexis Lawellin scored.
HU 3rd – Kinsey Beck singled to center field; Mills scored.
HU 3rd – Brookelynn reached on an error; Hendricks scored.
HU 3rd – Amanda Berdon sacrifice bunt; Beck scored.
HU 4th – Hendricks singled up the middle; Lawellin scored.
UAM 5th – Korie Parker singled through the left side; Anderson scored.
HU 5th – Lawellin walked; Berdon scored.
HU 5th – Mills flied out to center field; Morgan Acosta scored.
AT THE PLATE:
UAM – Parker: 1-for-3, 2 RBI; Jordan Williams: 1-for-1
HU – Hendricks: 3-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 R; Mills: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R; Lawellin: 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI
ON THE MOUND:
W – Hannah Johnson (19-8): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R/ 2 ER 3 K/5 BB
L – Kendra Coleman (15-13); 2.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R/3 ER, 3 K/0 BB
NOTABLE:
- Harding scored 10 runs – the seventh time a team has reached double figures in 62 GAC Championship games.
- Harding snapped a three-game losing streak to Arkansas-Monticello.
- Harding’s Hendricks seven has RBIs in five games this season against UAM.
- Harding’s Mills hit 2-for-3 on Thursday, hit .417 (5-for-12) against UAM this season.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Arkansas-Monticello: Will play Southern Nazarene at 8 p.m. at Memorial Park
Harding: Will play Arkansas Tech at 8 p.m. at Tiger Athletic Complex
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 3 |
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| #8 Southern Nazarene (27-30) |
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| #1 Arkansas Tech (45-7) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech’s Jalissa Gum, the Great American Conference's Pitcher of the Year, fired the GAC’s third no-hitter in GAC Championships history in a 2-0 win against Southern Nazarene on Thursday at the Tiger Athletic Complex. Jamie Knowles provided all the offense as she hit a two-run home run in the second inning.
HOW THEY SCORED:
ATU 2nd – Jamie Knowles homered to left field; Kambri Martin scored.
AT THE PLATE:
SNU – Jessica Thompson: 0-for-1, 1 BB
ATU – Knowles: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI; Jalissa Gum: 1-for-3
ON THE MOUND:
W – Gum (19-1): CG, SHO, 7.0 IP, 0 H, 11 K/1 BB
L – Wyatt (18-14); 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R/2 ER, 3 K/2 BB
NOTABLE:
- Gum: 3rd no-hitter in GAC Softball Championship history (HSU’s Michelle Sorensen, 4/30/15 vs SAU ; SAU's Hanna Gill, 4/25/13 vs SWOSU)
- No. 1 seeds improve to 16-4 all-time at the GAC Softball Championships
- SNU falls to 1-3 all-time in GAC Tournament play
- No. 8 seeds fall to 0-8 all-time at the GAC Softball Championships
WHAT’S NEXT:
Southern Nazarene: Will play the Harding/Arkansas-Monticello loser at 8 p.m. at Memorial Park
Arkansas Tech: Will play the Harding/Arkansas-Monticello winner at 8 p.m. at Tiger Athletic Complex
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 2 |
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| #7 East Central (24-30) |
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| #2 Southern Arkansas (42-8) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Southern Arkansas’ Darian Harris’ game-winning double helped the Lady Muleriders edge East Central, 3-2, in 12 innings, the longest Great American Conference Softball Championship game in league history, in Thursday's opening round game from the Tiger Athletic Complex. SAU’s Kimmy Beasley went the distance as she threw a 12-inning complete game.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SAU 2nd – Maddie Dow scored on wild pitch; Ashton Atwell scored on throwing error.
ECU 6th – Taylor Davis doubled down the right-field line; Caitlin Paolini scored.
ECU 6th – Lacey Paulk singled up the middle; Davis scored.
SAU 12th – Darian Harris doubled to right; Guin scored.
AT THE PLATE:
ECU – Autumn Suydam: 3-for-5
ECU – Taylor Guin: 2-for-6, R; Darian Harris: 2-for-6, RBI, 2B
ON THE MOUND:
W – Kimmy Beasley (21-3): CG, 12.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R/2 ER, 6 K/2 BB
L – Lacey Paulk (5-11); 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R/1 ER, 4 K/0 BB
NOTABLE:
- No. 2 seeds improve to 6-0 against No. 7 seeds at the GAC Championships
- SAU improves to 5-0 vs ECU this season
- The 12-inning contest was the longest softball game in GAC Tournament history
- The 12-inning game represents the longest in the GAC since Harding/Henderson State played a 14-inning game on 4/10/15
- Suydam went 3-for-5 after hitting just .111 (1-for-9) in the regular-season series against SAU
- Beasley set the GAC Championship record for innings pitched in a game, 12.0
- Starters Beasley (141) and Sydney Dow (157) combined to throw 298 pitches
- Harris: 2-for-6; 8-for-18 against ECU this season
WHAT’S NEXT:
East Central: Will play Southeastern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. at Memorial Park
Southern Arkansas: Will play Henderson State at 6 p.m. at Tiger Athletic Complex
| GAC Softball Championships - Game 1 |
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| #6 Henderson State (33-24) |
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| #3 Southeastern Oklahoma State (29-22) |
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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Henderson State recorded a four-run fourth inning en route to a 7-3 victory against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday from Tiger Athletic Complex. Shayla Wright led the Reddie offense as she went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Michelle Sorensen tossed a complete-game to earn the win.
HOW THEY SCORED:
SE 3rd – Destiny Riddle singled to the catcher; Jessica Simmons scored.
HSU 4th – Keirsten Seahorn scored on illegal pitch.
HSU 4th – Sorensen scored on a wild pitch.
HSU 4th – Shayla Wright tripled to right-center; Morgan South & Olivia Trap scored.
SE 5th – Courtney Riddle doubled through the left side; Kennedy Bean & Sydney Kramer scored.
HSU 5th – Wright singled to the right side; South scored.
HSU 7th – Ashleigh Erb doubled to deep left; Alexis Morton & South scored.
AT THE PLATE:
HSU – Wright: 3-for-4, 3 RBI, 3B; South: 1-for-4, 3 R, RBI
SE – D. Riddle: 2-for-2, RBI
ON THE MOUND:
W – Sorensen, HSU (20-10): 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R/3 ER, 6 K/4 BB
L – Cudd, SE (14-10): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R/3 ER, 3 K/2 BB
NOTABLE:
- Henderson State wins its third consecutive opening round game
- Wright’s three RBIs are a career-high.
- Michelle Sorensen records her 21st complete game of the season.
- First opening round loss for Southeastern Oklahoma State in GAC history.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Southeastern Oklahoma State: Will play loser of Southern Arkansas/East Central at 6 p.m. at Memorial Park
Henderson State: Will play winner of Southern Arkansas/East Central at 6 p.m. at Tiger Athletic Complex