ADA – The East Central University softball team split the first two games of the Great American Conference series against Henderson State at Tiger Field. The Tigers (18-12, 9-9 GAC) fell 0-4 in the opening game and then earned a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in game two.

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On a pitchers day, both teams hit under .200 for the day, with freshman Jaclyn Willis leading ECU with a .500 average, a single and a double. She was one of just four Tiger players to earn a positive batting average for the day.

Freshman Karlie Milburn earned the win in the circle, throwing a complete game, allowing three hits and two runs and striking out three. Senior Kelbie Crelia suffered the loss in game one, allowing five hits and four runs and striking out six.

The teams will wrap up the series, Sunday, March 26 with a double-header slated to start at 10 a.m.

ECU 3, HSU 2

The Reddies (15-15, 9-8 GAC) started the scoring in game two, taking a 0-2 lead in the third inning.

The Tigers waited until the fourth to get on the scoreboard, but were only able to cut the deficit in half (1-2), on a solo home run by junior Claresha Clemons.

ECU's defense then picked up in the final three innings, sending HSU back to the dugout in order to keep things close.

The bottom of the seventh started with sophomore Ellanee Allison reaching on a single and advancing to second on a wild pitch. That put her is scoring position when sophomore Mariah Ewy reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt that saw an error by the catcher. The throw was off enough that Allison scored from second to tie the score at two.

A passed ball moved Ewy to second during the next at bat. Freshman Catherine Barrera then sent a shot through the left side of the field that was bobbled by the third baseman and short stop allowing the game-winning run to score.

HSU 4, ECU 0

The first game was a pitching duel, with both teams going three-up; three-down for the first three innings.

Both teams got runners on base in the next two innings, but were unable to get a runner past second.

The sixth is when the Reddies took control and scored two runs when a batter was hit by a pitch and a home run sent two runs across the plate.

HSU added to the lead in the seventh, with two more runs, for the 0-4 lead.

The Tigers got two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh, but two strikeouts and a fielder's choice ended ECU's chance to score.