ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University softball team split of pair of Gulf South Conference West Division games Sunday afternoon as the Lady Tigers won the opener against rival Henderson State, 8-6, but fell in the second game, 3-2 in eight innings at Dee White Field.
In the opener, Henderson State (13-10 overall, 3-1 GSC West) struck first with a run in the bottom of the first, but Ouachita (12-12, 1-3) answered with a run in the top of the third. The Lady Tigers added another run to grab a 2-1 lead heading into the top of fifth, where Ouachita plated three runs.
Monica Davis led of the frame with a base hit and advanced to second on a Kristen Rigsbee ground out. After a wild pitch moved Davis to third, Haley Chambers singled to get the RBI. Taylor Austin followed with a two-run homer to give the Lady Tigers a 5-1 advantage.
The Lady Reddies scored two in the bottom half of the inning, but Ouachita put three on the board in the top of the sixth.
With one out, Randi Wilson walked and with two outs, Rigsbee reached on a base on balls. Chambers reached on a fielding error by the third basemen to load the bases. Wilson and Rigsbee scored on a wild pitch and Whitley Hoppe, who pinch ran for Chambers, came across on Austin’s single.
Henderson State refused to give up, plating three in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.
Rigsbee pitched a complete game, giving up six runs (three earned) on eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Patti Collins took the loss by going 3 2/3 innings. She was tagged for two runs on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Kari Panno worked 3 1/3 innings of relief.
In the second game, Henderson State led 2-0 going into the top of the fifth, but Ouachita tied the game at two.
With two outs, Davis and Rigsbee hit back-to-back base hits. Chambers followed with an RBI single to score Davis. Rigsbee scored on Austin’s base hit, tying the game at 2.
Both teams had opportunities, but couldn’t cash in, until the bottom of the eighth, when Henderson State won the game with a run.
Sara Hanson started for the Lady Tigers, going 6 1/3 innings. She gave up two runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts. Rigsbee took the loss by working 1 1/3 innings of relief. She surrendered a run on four hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Melissa Decker earned the win by going eight innings. She gave up two runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.
The Lady Tigers return to action 2:00 p.m., Thursday, March 12 at Sully Anderson Field against Lyon.
