Arkansas Tech University and Harding University split a Great American Conference softball doubleheader at the Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex in Russellville on Tuesday.
The nationally fifth-ranked Golden Suns (39-6 overall, 29-5 GAC) will visit Southwestern Oklahoma State University for a four-game GAC series in Weatherford, Okla., on Friday, April 15, and Saturday, April 16.
Game One: Tech 5, HU 1
Jalissa Gum notched her fourth consecutive double-digit strikeout pitching performance to lead Arkansas Tech to a 5-1 victory over Harding in Tuesday’s first game.
Gum (16-1) struck out 11 Lady Bisons over six innings. She was charged with one unearned run on five hits.
Alex Edinger went 3-for-4 with three runs scored for the Golden Suns. Kambri Hill also had three hits, one of which was a solo home run. Destiny Crumpley was 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
Hannah Johnson (13-8) went the distance in the circle for the Lady Bisons. She allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits.
Harding’s Kimmy Hendricks was 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
Game Two: HU 4, Tech 1
Harding escaped a seventh-inning jam to defeat Arkansas Tech 4-1 in the nightcap on Tuesday.
The Golden Suns trailed 4-0 entering their final at-bat. Sydnie Henson’s RBI single put Tech on the board and brought the potential tying run to the plate, but Harding’s Johnson capped her second complete game of the day by inducing a game-ending ground out.
Johnson (14-8) allowed one unearned run on five hits over seven innings.
Hendricks had an RBI single in the first inning, Kristen Dempsey had an RBI single in the second inning and Peyton Mills drove in two runs with a single in the fifth inning for the Lady Bisons.
Tech starting pitcher Morgan Vaughan (14-1) surrendered four runs on nine hits in four and one-third innings.
