Arkansas Tech University will enter the softball postseason on a five-game winning streak after sweeping three games from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Great American Conference action at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex on Friday and Saturday.
The Golden Suns (35-20 overall, 29-14 GAC) will be the No. 3 seed in the double elimination GAC Tournament, which begins on Thursday, May 4, in Bentonville.
Arkansas Tech will face No. 6 seed Southern Nazarene University in a first-round contest at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.
Game One: Tech 2, SWOSU 0
Arkansas Tech’s Jalissa Gum became just the fourth softball pitcher in NCAA Division II history to record 20 strikeouts in a seven-inning game during a 2-0 Golden Suns’ victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday.
Gum (17-10) allowed one hit in her complete-game pitching performance. Included was her 306th strikeout of the season, establishing a new GAC single-season record.
The senior from Red Rock, Okla., broke a scoreless tie by driving in a run with a double in the fourth inning. Sarah Coronado followed with an RBI single to set what proved to be the final score.
Game Two: Tech 3, SWOSU 0
Gum made it 14 scoreless innings in one day by pitching a three-hit shutout and leading Arkansas Tech to a 3-0 win against Southwestern Oklahoma State in the nightcap on Friday.
Gum (18-10) struck out 15 SWOSU hitters in game two.
Coronado had an RBI triple and scored a run on a wild pitch. Ashton Sangster added an RBI double for the Golden Suns.
Game Three: Tech 4, SWOSU 1
Megan Goodnight and Janie Knowles notched two RBIs apiece in a 4-1 Arkansas Tech victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State in the series finale on Saturday.
Gum (19-10) was charged with one unearned run on four hits during her third complete-game pitching performance of the weekend. She recorded nine strikeouts.
