SE Splits One-Run Games at ATU

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern picked up a conference road split on Saturday in a pair of one-run games, taking the series opener off Arkansas Tech 5-4 in eight innings before falling 9-8 in game two in Russellville, Ark.
 
The split moves the Savage Storm to 26-15 overall on the season and 20-8 in Great American Conference play with the final two games of the series slated for a noon start on Sunday.
 
Sydnee Hinkle provided the extra inning heroics in game one with a two-run single in the top of the eighth innings to plate Elexis Watson and Symphoni Shomo for the go-ahead runs at 5-3.
 
ATU would get a run back in the bottom of the eighth to close the lead to 5-4 which would hold to be the final.
 
Earlier in the contest SE would tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth that allowed Hinkle to score.
 
Watson and Shomo would follow with RBI singles and the Storm would lead 3-1 after five innings.
 
ATU would tack on a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra-innings.
 
Watson, Shomo, and Hinkle each posted a pair of hits.
 
Hinkle drove in a pair of runs, while Watson and Shomo added one each.
 
Kelsey Meeks got the start and tossed 7.0 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts to pick up the victory.
 
Destiny Riddle came on in relief in the final inning and faced the final three batters to earn her first save of the season.
 
In the finale, SE got on the board with a Hinkle RBI single in the top of the first, but ATU answered with two runs in the bottom half.
 
The Storm would regain the lead in the second inning after an RBI by Brittany Chatellier followed by a two-run Watson homer to open up a 4-2 lead midway through the second.
 
The Golden Suns would again answer with two runs to knot the game at 4-4 after two.
 
SE kept up the scoring in the third inning, taking the lead on a Kennedy Salyers RBI single, followed by a bases loaded HBP drawn by Kendyl Dockter as well as RBI singles from Watson and Riddle to extend the lead to 8-4 midway through the third inning.
 
ATU got a run back in the fourth and two more in the fifth to close the SE lead to 8-7 after six innings.
 
Unfortunately after going down in order in the top of the seventh, the Storm would let the Golden Suns load the bases with two outs when they got a two-run double form the nine-hole hitter to hand SE a 9-8 loss.
 
Watson paced the club in the second game with three hits and three RBI, while Shomo and Karsyn Brigance each added a pair of hits.
 
Riddle, Hinkle, Salyers, Chatellier, and Dockter each tacked on an RBI.
 
Riddle got the start and tossed 1.2 innings, taking a no decision after allowing four runs on three hits before handing the ball over to Emily Cudd who tossed 1.2 innings of her own and allowed a run on three hits.
 
Meeks came on to finish the game as was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits in 3.1 innings pitched with three strikeouts.