RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern falls in the final game of its three-game GAC series against Arkansas Tech 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.
The Savage Storm notched seven hits, led by
Tristan Hopkins and
Iliana Olivares with two hits each and two combined RBIs. The Storm would strand nine runners and were just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Alyson Malone started the game in the circle and tossed all 6.0 innings with four strikeouts and three runs surrendered on six hits.
Southeastern (12-16, 6-6 GAC) returns home to host Harding for a three-game GAC series on March 20 and 21. The Storm and Bisons open with a doubleheader on Friday, March 20, at 1 p.m.
The Storm wasted no time scratching in the first run of the game, as Hopkins belted a solo home run over the right field wall on the second at-bat in the top of the first to give SE the early edge. The blue and gold kept swinging the bat well, adding another run in the second on an RBI single by Olivares to push the lead to 2-0.
Helping provide the early momentum for Southeastern, starting pitcher Malone posted two scoreless frames to begin the game. The Golden Suns would pull a run back in the third, but Malone would continue to help hold the lead for SE, holding ATU to zeros in the fourth and fifth.
After the fast start by the blue and gold, the Arkansas Tech pitching staff began to settle in and limited the Storm to zero hits over the next four innings. This allowed the Golden Suns to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, plating two runs.
The blue and gold looked to start the rally in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out after a single by Olivares, a double from Hopkins and a walk by
Susan Edwards. However, the Golden Suns would close the door on the Storm's comeback with back-to-back force-outs to end the game.
