East Central tops Southwestern in Sunday finale
Mar. 12—WEATHERFORD — The East Central University softball team traveled to Weatherford for a road GAC matchup against Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Despite dropping a pair of contests on Saturday, the Tigers clinched the final game on Sunday, preventing a clean sweep at SWOSU Softball Field.
The Bulldogs topped ECU 3-2 and 8-0 on Saturday before the Tigers won Game 3 4-1 on Sunday.
With the Sunday win, ECU's overall record stands at 11-13 and 2-7 in Great American Conference play, heading into today's rivalry doubleheader matchup against Southeastern at Tiger Softball Field.
Southwestern now stands at 9-11 and 6-3.
Game 1
Southwestern 3, ECU 2
It was a pitcher's dual in Game 1 as neither team scored in the first three innings. ECU added the game's first multi-hit inning with Gabi Quintanilla and Megan Lesko's singles in the top of the fourth, however, the Bulldogs halted the Tigers from scoring while they broke the deadlock with a run in the home half, taking the 1-0 lead.
Nevertheless, the Tigers immediately responded in the next frame as Cheyenne Adair, Jaicee Stott, and Gabi Quintanilla loaded the bases before Caton Muncy's 2 RBI double scored Adair and Stott to seize a 2-1 lead.
Although ECU maintained their lead until the seventh inning, SWOSU went on a late surge, resulting in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss.
Gabi Quintanilla and Megan Lesko each had two hits in the game while Caton Muncy contributed the team's only RBIs.
Starting pitcher Taylor Spence had a solid effort on the mound, throwing 6.2 innings and allowing three runs on six hits, but took the loss.
Game 2
Southwestern 8, ECU 0
Game two mirrored the first as three scoreless innings went by before SWOSU put two runs on the board in the fourth inning. However, in this game, ECU could not come up with an answer.
The two-run fourth frame by the Bulldogs followed by a run in the fifth and a five-run effort in the sixth proved to be too much for the Tigers.
ECU's five hits were scattered between Elyse LeClair, Gabi Quintanilla, Megan Lesko, Cheyenne Adair, and Josi Goodman.
Lauren HerrNeckar took the loss, tossing 5.1 innings allowing seven runs on 10 hits.
Game 3
ECU 4, Southwestern 1
ECU's offense came alive on day two, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead after two innings that carried them until the very end.
Elyse LeClair got the bats going with a leadoff hit and eventually scored from Caton Muncy's RBI single. Then, Zoe Acosta's RBI single extended ECU's lead to 2-0.
In the next frame, Josi Goodman's hit-by-pitch followed by Elyse LeClair's double and Gabi Quintanilla's groundout allowed Goodman to score before a Bulldog wild pitch plated LeClair to help ECU secure a 4-0 advantage.
After four quiet innings from SWOSU, the Bulldogs managed to add one run in the bottom of the sixth inning but failed to capitalize further despite threatening in the seventh. Thanks to a crucial throw from Rikki Hadley in right field that stopped SWOSU from scoring, along with a final groundout, the Tigers secured the 4-1 victory, ending the series on a high note.
Elyse LeClair and Zoe Acosta led with two hits apiece while Gabi Quintanilla, Caton Muncy, and Jami Watson added one.
Taryn O'Brien pitched a complete seven innings, allowing just one run on seven hits to pick up the win.
