April 23, 2011
ARKADELPHIA- With a pair of low scoring games, Ouachita Baptist split with Arkansas-Monticello on Senior Day in the Gulf South Conference West Division series at Sully Anderson Field on Saturday.
Ouachita (20-20, 14-10) defeated the Cotton Blossoms (35-12, 15-11) with a 5-2 victory in Game 2, after falling in the first game, 2-1.
It was Senior Day for a pair of Lady Tigers in seniors Sarah Bell and Kristen Rigsbee as both played their final home games for Ouachita. Bell and Rigsbee have played a vital part to the overall success of the Ouachita Baptist Softball program, and both hold the single season home run mark, along with former All-American Haley Chambers, at 13, set in 2010.
To begin the opener, Ouachita took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, when an RBI single by Rigsbee scored sophomore Megan Askew.
Arkansas-Monticello answered with a pair of runs in the fourth, which would be enough for the victory for the Cottom Blossoms. Rigsbee (7-11) went the distance, going seven innings and allowing one earned run on five hits in the loss. At the plate, the Lady Tigers recorded six hits, including a 2-for-3 afternoon for freshman Teresa Mursuli. Senior Sarah Bell, freshman Rayn House, junior Alexis Johns and Rigsbee each finished with a hit. Rigsbee added an RBI in the loss.
In the second game, the reigning GSC Pitcher of the Week in freshman Rayn House, again shut down the bats for Arkansas-Monticello, allowing just two earned runs in seven innings of work. House picked up her second victory over the Cotton Blossoms in as many days.
Ouachita went up 3-0 after two innings of action, as in the first inning, as Askew singled and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Bell for a 1-0 lead. It became 2-0 when sophomore Bailey Sanders connected on an RBI single to score Johns to close out the first.
In the second inning, House slammed a solo home run to help her cause, giving the Lady Tigers a 3-0 lead.
A solo home run by Bailey Sanders, her second of the series, opened the fourth inning for Ouachita, as the Lady Tigers closed out their scoring with a second solo home run by Rayn House for a 5-0 advantage that would be plenty of offense in the win. The home run by House was the third of the season for the Paris, Texas native.
Arkansas-Monticello scored two runs and Ouachita split the Saturday doubleheader series. House (9-4) continues to be a force on the mound for the Lady Tigers, going seven innings and striking out five. At the plate, House and Sanders each finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, combined for three solo home runs. Askew provided the only other hit, while Bell recorded an RBI and Johns a run in the win.
Ouachita will finish the season with a GSC West Division series against Henderson State on Saturday, April 30 at Henderson State beginning at 1 p.m.
