CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – A hot offense helped the #4 East Texas Baptist University softball team battle through the colder spring weather as they sliced up 24 runs in a two-game doubleheader sweep over the University of Ozarks, 10-2, and 14-6. The Tigers are now 21-3 overall and 17-3 in the American Southwest Conference play.
After being held scoreless through three innings in game one, ETBU scored 10 runs in the final four innings for a 10-2 win.
Daniella Solis recorded four RBI on two hits while she and Skyler Wilabay (two hits) homered.
Tauryn Cummings had two RBI on a double.
Hannah Kelley recorded the win with 7.0 innings allowing two runs on six hits while striking out three.
Trailing 6-2 in the second game, ETBU scored 12 unanswered runs to win 14-6. Cummings had a team-high three hits while
Sarah Bledsoe,
Tristen Maddox, and Wilabay each had two hits and three RBI. Earning the win was
Preslye Cox, who pitched 4.1 relief innings allowing just one hit and three strikeouts.
Game 1: ETBU 10, UO 2
Neither side would get a hit in the first two innings to start the game. ETBU would get their first hit in the third inning putting runners in scoring position. But a groundout to second ended the threat and UO would capitalize on the momentum in the bottom of the third on an RBI double.
ETBU responded in the fourth as Musicant delivered a RBI single while Solis homered in two runs for a 3-1 lead. Wilabay led off the fifth with a solo home run which was followed by a two-run double from Cummings. The Eagles scratched a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to trail 6-2. A sacrifice bunt by Garza and an RBI single by Garcia led to two runs in the sixth making it 8-2. Solis then made it 10-2 with a two-run single in the seventh.
Game 2: ETBU 14, UO 6 (6 Inn.)
The Tigers would get two runs with Musicant doubling in Cummings and stealing home herself in the second inning for a 2-0 lead. Yet, UO answered with six runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 6-2. Unintimidated by the deficit, ETBU stormed back with a run in the third on a Garcia single and two runs in the fourth with an Akridge groundout and Wilabay single to cut the lead to one, 6-5.
ETBU then took the lead for good with seven runs in the fifth inning with
Sarah Bledsoe and Wilabay each recording two-RBI knocks before Maddox made it 12-6 with a three-run homer. ETBU added two more runs in the sixth as Shea reached on an error to score Cummings while Bledsoe singled in Shea.
ETBU will look to finish off the series at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday in Arkansas.
