Rallies Fuel Lady Tigers to Doubleheader Sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma

Courtesy Ouchita Baptist University Athletics Department

ARKADELPHIA, Ark.- The first day of action between the Ouachita Lady Tigers and Southwestern Oklahoma State ended in prime fashion for the Lady Tigers, who were looking for wins after dropping eight straight conference games. They walked away with two wins on Thursday though, kicking the day off with a 6-1 win before finishing off with a 7-6 victory.

The first game of the day saw an early rally, with the Lady Tigers (11-23, 5-13 GAC) putting up four runs in the bottom of the first. Although none of the runs were earned, it didn’t matter to Ouachita, as they put themselves in an early position to get a much needed win.

The Lady Tigers would strike again in the third inning, when Michaela Hopkins singled to left field and scored Bailey Sanders, stretching the team’s lead to five.

Southwestern (12-24, 6-14 GAC) finally got on the board in the fourth, when a player doubled to left center field and brought home a runner. Suzie Gresham answered for the Lady Tigers in the bottom half of the inning though, recording her first collegiate home run.

Abbi Frakes was credited with the victory, with two strikeouts in seven innings of work.

The second game of the afternoon found the Lady Tigers in a desperation situation. They entered the bottom of the sixth inning facing a 6-0 deficit, as Southwestern had five runs in the third inning and another in the top of the sixth.

The Lady Tigers weren’t fazed though, as they found a surge of offense en route to a seven run rally. It all started with a leadoff single to left field by Gresham, which was followed by a rally for the ages. The Lady Tigers notched four singles, three doubles, a walk and a sacrifice fly in the inning, leading them to a 7-6 advantage as they entered the top of the seventh.

Southwestern’s first batter of the seventh grounded out to shortstop before they got a single to left field. Ouachita pitcher Shelby McWhorter waved off a rally from the Lady Bulldogs though, and forced a strikeout and a groundout to close out the win.

McWhorter put in 4.2 innings on the mound, recording two strikeouts and holding Southwestern to just one run.

Teresa Mursuli finished off the afternoon with a 4-of-6 day from the plate, recording two RBIs and a run scored. Gresham was right there with her, finishing the day 3-of-5 and recording three RBIs and two runs scored.

The Lady Tigers face off with Southwestern again on Friday, with action kicking off at 12 p.m. from Sully Anderson Field in Arkadelphia.

-Josh Fink, Sports Information Director