MONTICELLO, Ark. – Southeastern rallies to pick up a 6-5 win after extra-innings in the series finale at Arkansas-Monticello.
The Savage Storm recorded 14 hits in the game, and had six in the final two innings, while four players had multiple hits.
Tristan Hopkins and
Susan Edwards each had three hits and a run scored, while Edwards batted in two runs.
Emily Simmons also drove in two runs on a two-hit day, and
Tally Rowland would finish with a pair of hits and a run scored.
Alyson Malone (7-6) earned the win in relief, pitching 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and two runs allowed on four hits.
The Storm took advantage of a pair of mistakes by the Blossoms during the top of the first to plate the opening runs. SE had Hopkins and T. Rowland standing on second and third after back-to-back wild pitches and a walk, and the pair would both score on a two-run single ripped into right center by Edwards.
SE added to its lead in the second, plating two more runs to push its advantage to 4-0. The blue and gold loaded the bases with two outs, as UAM gave up free passes to
McKenna Simmons and Hopkins, while
Lorryn Johnson knocked a hit down the left field line. On the sixth batter sent to the plate, E. Simmons sent a single into center field to score two runs. However, UAM pulled two runs back in the bottom of the third to cut into SE's edge 4-2.
The Arkansas-Monticello bats stayed hot in the fourth, as they added another run before Malone entered the circle and struck out the final two outs to limit the damage. The momentum remained with the hosts, who eventually took a 5-4 lead in the fifth with two runs plated.
The Storm were held to another zero in the sixth but soon got their bats going in the seventh, as they tied it 5-all. Southeastern had a baserunner on first in Edwards, who reached on a fielder's choice, and she would score two batters later on an RBI double laced down the left field line by
Laci Larsen to bring home the tying run, 5-5. Malone would post her second straight scoreless frame in the bottom half of the seventh to send it to extra innings.
Southeastern continued its rally into the top of the eighth, loading the bases with one out, and T. Rowland drove in one run on a hit through the left side to give the Storm a 6-5 advantage. In the bottom of the eighth, the Storm was dialed in defensively, getting a pop-up for the first out before turning a double play for the final outs of the game to secure the win.
SE (19-23, 11-13 GAC) heads back to Durant for its final home series of the season on April 17 and 18 against No. 11 Southern Arkansas.
