Ortiz ensures split with Savage Storm

ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita Baptist softball team split games one and two of the weekend series against Southeastern Oklahoma State, 1-3 and

7-6, on Friday afternoon at Sully Anderson Field.

In game one of the afternoon, Ouachita (12-15, 8-12) held onto a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth inning. Sydnee Hinkle then hit a three-run home run to give Southeastern (21-12, 155) the lead in the top half of the sixth inning.

The Tigers got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Kelly Powell led off the game with a walk, Sloane Precure then singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. With two outs in the inning, Ortiz stepped to the plate and came through with an RBI single up the middle.

Ouachita starting pitcher Kelsey O’Brien rolled through the Savage Storm lineup before exiting the game after 5 1/3 innings of shutout softball.

Southeastern got to Ouachita pitcher Marissa Butler in the top of the sixth inning. Butler started the inning with a walk and hit the next two batters she faced.

Hinkle made her pay when she blasted a home run over the center field fence to give the Savage Storm a 3-1 advantage.

The Tigers’ rally came up short in the bottom of the seventh inning as Southeastern took game one of the series.

In game two, Ortiz played hero has she belted an RBI single up the middle to win the game for the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh inning. The two teams combined for 13 runs off 22 hits in the game.

The first two innings of the contest were similar to that of the first game as each team held the other scoreless. Southeastern freshman first basemen Elexis Watson changed the score with her 10th home run of the season to give the Savage Storm the early lead.

The Tigers’ offense responded in the bottom half of the third inning. Powell led off the inning with an infield single. With two outs, Tobi Finley singled up the middle to put runners on the corners.

Senior outfielder Paige Purifoy made the Savage Storm pay with a two-RBI triple to right field. Gabby Gonzalez put the exclamation point on the inning with a two-run home run to straight away center field.

Down 4-1, the Savage Storm began to chip away at the Tigers lead. In the top of the fourth inning, Mykaela Wallace hit a solo home run to keep Southeastern within a pair of runs of Ouachita.

The Savage Storm closed the gap to within one after an RBI double by Marisa Fleck in the top of the sixth inning.

Southeastern tied the game up in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI single down the right field line. The game did not remain tied for long as the Savage Storm hit their third home run of the afternoon. This time it was a two-run blast that gave Southeastern a 6-4 lead.

Ouachita rallied in the bottom of the seventh. Precure hit a one-out double to center field to give the Tigers a runner in scoring position. Sarah Johnson then singled down the left field line to put a pair of runners on.

Tobi Finley then hit what appeared to be a routine ground ball to the shortstop. The shortstop missed the grounder and the ball rolled to the left field wall, allowing both runners to score. Finley stood just 60 feet away in a 6-6 ballgame.

Southeastern walked both Purifoy and Gonzalez to load up the bases. Ortiz hit the ball back up the middle to give the Tigers the walk-off victory over the Savage Storm.

The Tigers and the Savage Storm closed their weekend series on Saturday.