DURANT, Okla. – Midwestern State suffered a pair of setbacks Saturday to nationally-ranked opponents with 8-4 defeats to No. 11 Arkansas Tech and No. 12 St. Mary's (Texas) at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex.

GAME 1 RECAP
No. 11 Arkansas Tech scored four runs in the second inning before denying Midwestern State a late comeback with a three-run sixth to earn an 8-4 victory Saturday afternoon.
 
Arkansas Tech (3-1) took a 4-0 advantage in the top of the second with Cara Tolar hitting a three-RBI double to right center for a 3-0 ATU lead. Jalissa Gum followed two batters later with an RBI double down to right field line to cap off the inning for the Golden Suns.
 
Midwestern State (0-3) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the frame following a pair of walks and a single to lead to a fielder's choice plating the first run of the game for the Mustangs. Erin Knox followed next with an RBI single up the middle for a 4-2 game heading to the third.
 
The Golden Suns stretched their lead to 5-2 in the fourth following a pair of singles. In the bottom half of the inning, Kelsey Knox plated sister Erin with an RBI single through the right side. Midwestern pulled within one run in the fifth with Lauren Lindgren recording a single to short to bring in Amanda Thomas for a 5-4 contest.
 
ATU pulled away in the sixth with Gum blasting a three-run shot to center field to double up the Mustangs at 8-4. The Golden Suns defense posted back-to-back 1-2-3 innings to earn the victory.

GAME 1 NOTES
- Taylor Brintzenhoff and Kelcee Thompson each posted two hits to lead Midwestern State
- Erin Knox (0-2) was saddled with the loss in a complete game effort
- Midwestern State left 10 runners on base in the loss while Arkansas Tech stranded five
- Jalissa Gum went 3-for-4 with five RBI to pace the ATU offense
- Morgan Vaughan (2-0) tallied the win for the Golden Suns with 4.0 innings of work

STAT OF THE GAME
7 – Arkansas Tech posted seven of its eight runs in the second and sixth innings
 
GAME 2 RECAP
A total of five errors doomed Midwestern State in an 8-4 loss to No. 12 St. Mary's in its second game of a doubleheader Saturday evening.
 
St. Mary's (3-1) plated its first run of the game in the first on an error in the infield after the Rattlers began the game with back-to-back singles. A bases-loaded walk for Olivia Van Hook added to the STMU lead for a 2-0 advantage after the first.
 
In the fourth, an RBI single to left for Amanda Thomas cut the Midwestern State (0-4) deficit in half, scoring Erin Knox who singled to right field to lead off the inning.
 
The Rattlers pulled away in the fifth with six runs on four hits and three errors by the MSU defense. A pair of singles and an error loaded the bases for STMU before a walk brought in the first run of the inning. A wild pitch and a groundout to first added two more runs for the Rattlers for a 5-1 lead. The third error of the inning made the score 6-1 before a double and single plated two runs for an 8-1 STMU lead.
 
Walks for Erin Knox and Taylor Brintzenhoff led to a three-run homer for Carli Woolsey, her third of the season, in the sixth inning. However, the Mustangs would be unable to pull any closer with STMU posting a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh for the 8-4 final.

GAME 2 NOTES
- Carli Woolsey went 2-for-3 with three RBI
- Tayler Jerrick (0-1) was handed the loss, allowing six hits and just one earned run in 4.0 innings
- Hannah Michel was 3-for-4 to lead St. Mary's
- Kristi Rangel (1-0) earned the win for the Rattlers, giving up just three hits and an earned run in 5.0 innings

STAT OF THE GAME
5 – Midwestern State committed a season-high five errors

UP NEXT 
Midwestern State closes out the Southeastern Oklahoma Regional Invitational tomorrow with a 2:30 p.m. meeting with Texas A&M International followed by a 5 p.m. contest against No. 20 Central Oklahoma.