OBU ousted from GAC softball tournament

BENTONVILLE — Ouachita Baptist came back from a 6-0 deficit in the first two innings of Friday’s Great American Conference Tournament elimination game with Southeastern Oklahoma State, but the Savage Storm earned a walk-off win to send the Tigers home in extra innings.

Ouachita (25-29, 21-23) entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed but was sent to the elimination bracket Wednesday with a loss to second-seed Arkansas Tech (41-17, 30-14) at the Tiger Athletic Complex in Bentonville. Southeastern (34-22, 27-14) was the No. 3 seed, but opened the tournament with an 8-1 loss to sixth-seeded Harding (31-25, 22-22).

Southeastern looked to be cruising early, putting up five runs in the first inning thanks to a leadoff home run by Elexis Watson, followed by an RBI single from Sydnee Hinkle, an error by Ouachita, a Mykaela Wallace sacrifice fly and a Kennedy Salyers RBI double to pile up a 5-0 lead after one inning. Thompson added an RBI groundout in the second to push the advantage to 6-0.

The Tigers put together a rally in the fourth, cutting into the Storm lead with four runs before adding two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to knot the score at 6-6.

Ouachita senior catcher Sara Johnson, from Mount Vernon, Texas, scored on a walk to senior left fielder Paige Purifoy, from Farmington, for the Tigers’ first run. Senior first baseman Gabby Gonzalez, of Alice, Texas, picked up three RBIs when she hit a double to left field to score freshman right fielder Tobi Finley and senior shortstop Madison Crosby, both of Sheridan, and Purifoy.

Sophomore pinch runner Cassie Cantu, of Flower Mound, Texas, scored for junior designated hitter Samantha Ortiz on an error in the sixth inning. Sophomore Stephanie McCann, from Camden, ran for Purifoy and scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly by sophomore second baseman Natalie Jackson, from Mansfield, Texas.

Keeshia Thompson reached base on an error with one out for Southeastern in the bottom of the eighth inning. Karsyn Brigance then connected on a two-run home run to left field to send the Savage Storm into the next round.

Kelsey Meeks got the start in the circle and picked up her 28th win for Southeastern after allowing five runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings of work while striking out six batters.

Ouachita freshman Sarah Chamberlain (6-13), from Shreveport, La., picked up the loss despite allowing just one earned run and three total on three hits in seven innings.

Purifoy was 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and an RBI, while senior leadoff center fielder Kelly Powell, of Flower Mound, was 2-for-5 to lead the Ouachita offense. The Tigers had nine hits and three walks to Southeastern’s eight hits and no walks, but left seven runners on base. The Savage Storm only left two runners stranded on the base paths.