Storm Rally Comes up Short at Tourney

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Southeastern mounted a furious seventh-inning rally, scoring six runs and putting the game-tying run in scoring position, but was unable to complete the comeback in a 9-8 loss in the second round of the Great American Conference Tournament on Thursday night in Bentonville, Ark.
 
The loss dropped the Savage Storm to 31-22 overall on the season and moves them into the loser's bracket where they will await the winner between Harding and Southern Arkansas for a 1 p.m. elimination game on May 1.
 
SE has won all four of its first round games in GAC Tournament history, with the second round loss to ECU being the second time the Storm dropped a second-round matchup, with the first instance coming in 2012 when they responded by making the championship game and finishing runner-up in the tourney.
 
In Thursday night's game the Storm found itself trailing 9-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, with the lone source of scoring offense being a two-run homer by Jacee Bennett in the second inning.
 
The Tigers opened up the lead with four runs in the first, one each in the third and fourth innings before adding three in the top of the seventh, two of which came with two outs.
 
Haley Strawn opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch, scoring three batters later on an RBI groundout by Darrian Williams to close the gap to 9-3 with two outs.
 
Conner Harmon immediately followed with an RBI double to score Arianna Jones.
 
Shaina Crites would run for Harmon and Jessica Simmons would reach after being hit by a pitch.
 
Sydney Kramer would then load the bases with a single before Courtney Riddle drive in Crites and Simmons with a single to center, making the score 9-6.
 
Laramie Beal followed up with an RBI single to plate Kramer and close the gap to 9-7.
 
Haley Strawn would single home RIddle to make the score 9-8 and put the tying run in scoring position at second, but the Storm rally would end there.
 
Kramer, Beal and Strawn each posted a pair of hits, while Bennett and Riddle each drove in a pair of runs.
 
Beal, Strawn, Williams and Harmon each added an RBI as well.
 
Jessica Seay took the loss after getting the start and getting tagged for eight runs over five innings of work, allowing 12 hits and striking out two.
 
Bennett tossed two innings in relief and allowed a run on four hits with one K.