Tweet #theGAC  BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech captured the title at the 2021 Great American Conference Under Armour Softball Championships with a 5-1 win against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday evening from the Tiger Athletic Complex.
 
In a rematch of the 2019 final, Arkansas Tech (28-16-1) scored in the first inning for the third-straight time at the GAC Championships when Caitlyn Wells doubled home Paty Loredo. An inning later, Makenzie Addis scored on an Arissa Harrish sacrifice fly.
 
In the fourth inning, Tournament MVP Tymber Riley hit her second home run of the GAC Championships to double the Tech advantage to 4-0. She hit .571 and reached base seven times in 10 plate appearances in the Golden Suns’ three wins. She totaled three extra-base hits and scored six runs.
 
The Golden Suns won their third-straight GAC Championship by outscoring their three opponents – Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southern Arkansas and Southern Nazarene by a combined 22-2 margin. They entered as the fourth seed and became the first team seeded higher than second to win the GAC Championship.
 
Maddy Prough made her second appearance inside the circle of the day and excelled with a seven-hit complete game. She kept the Savage Storm (36-11) off the scoreboard until a seventh-inning double by Peyton Streetman. She earned All-Tournament honors after picking up a win and a save with a 0.78 ERA in 9.0 innings of work.
 
Tech’s Shannon Lasey, who earned two wins with 11 strikeouts over 10.0 innings, made the All-Tournament Team along with Wells - who hit .714 with eight RBI - and Makenzie Goins, who hit two home runs and tallied six RBI.
 
The Savage Storm placed Cheyenne Mahy, Amberlyn Walsworth and Kyia Monahwee on the All-Tournament Team. Harding’s Lily Tanksi and Hanna Jones plus SAU’s Laina Suesue and Jaxynn Dyson rounded out the 12-player team.
 
Arkansas Tech will learn its postseason fate during Sunday’s NCAA Selection show. It streams on NCAA.com at 9 p.m. Southern Arkansas looks to earn one of the three at-large bids. Central Oklahoma will host the Central Regional.