BENTONVILLE, Ark. –
Cheyenne Mahy tossed a complete game and
Marilyn Alvarado homered to guide Southeastern to a Great American Conference Tournament Championship with a 3-2 win over Southern Arkansas on Saturday evening in Bentonville, Ark.
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The win gives Southeastern its third GAC Championship in softball, after winning the regular season and tournament titles in 2013, a regular season championship in 2014, and today's tournament title.
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Reese Taylor took home the tournament's Most Valuable Player honor, while Alvarado,
Bailey Beard, Mahy, and
Kady Fryrear joined her on the All-Tournament team.
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The win also secures an automatic bid into the NCAA Central Region tournament which will announce its bracket on Monday morning at 9 a.m. on NCAA.com.
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Southeastern improves to 33-25 overall on the season and the Storm avenge its only series loss, picking up a win over SAU in the title game just a week after dropping all three games in the season-ending series.
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Mahy tossed the complete game and struck out three while allowing two runs on eight hits to pick up her seventh win of the season.
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Alvarado homered in the game and finished with a pair of hits, while Fryrear also chipped in two hits.
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Mahy added a hit, while
Iliana Olivares,
Kamryn Rackley, and Beard each had a hit.
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Alvarado, Fryrear, and Beard each drove in a run.
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SE took the first lead of the day with Alvarado connecting on a first inning solo homer for the 1-0 lead.
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Fryrear pushed the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third on an RBI single to plate Alvarado.
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The Muleriders would knot the game in the fourth on a to-run homer to right field, tying the game at 2-2.
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SE would have the last word in the top of the sixth though as Beard doubled home Olivares to give Southeastern a 3-2 lead which would hold up as the final score.
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