Softball Splits GAC Opener at SWOSU

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southeastern opened conference play in Weatherford, Okla., with a 9-6 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State, but finished the day with a split after a 3-1 loss in the nightcap on Sunday afternoon.
 
The split moves the Savage Storm to 3-9 overall on the season and 1-1 in Great American Conference play with Monday's double-header slated for an 11 a.m. first pitch.
 
Katie McCullar collected three hits in the opener, while Keeshia Thompson added two.  Elexis Watson, Symphoni Shomo, Destiny Riddle, Mykaela Wallace and Kamarie Wallace each added a hit.
 
Thompson finished the contest with four RBI, while McCullar added two with Watson and Shomo adding one apiece.
 
Riddle got the start and tossed 3.0 innings but took a no decision after allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits with one strikeout.
 
McCullar would collect the win with 4.0 innings of work while allowing a run on three hits with a pair of K's.
 
SE took a 1-0 lead on a Thompson RBI single in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs had an answer with two runs in the bottom half to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The Storm responded immediately as a Watson RBI would tie the game and the ensuing error would allow the Storm to take the lead in the top of the second and two batters later Thompson would single home two more runs to push the lead out to 5-2.
 
SWOSU would tie the game with three runs in the third inning, but SE again regained the lead on a McCullar RBI single in the fourth.
 
The Storm would tack on two runs in the sixth on back-to-back RBI from Thompson and McCullar an stretch the leas to 9-5 on a Shomo RBi single in the seventh.
 
The Bulldogs would add a run in the bottom of the seventh to close the final score to 9-6.
 
Game two saw Kennedy Salyer turn in a pair of hits to lead SE, while four others collected on hit apiece.
 
One of those was Karsyn Brigance who drove in the team's lone run.
 
Emily Cudd got the start and tossed 3.0 innings and was tagged for one unearned run on three hits with one strikeout.
 
Riddle was saddled with the loss however after tossing 2.0 innings in relief and allowing two runs on four hits with three K's.
 
McCullar rounded out the day with an inning of work, collecting one strikeout.
 
SWOSU took a 1-0 lead in the first which held up until and RBI double by Brigance in the top of the fourth scored Thompson to tie the game at 1-1.
 
The Bulldogs would retake the lead with back-to-back RBI hits in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead which would be the final score.