ALVA, Okla. – After 12 road games to open the 2017 season, Northwestern Oklahoma State's Softball team hosted the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns in an afternoon doubleheader at the Alva Rec Complex. In what turned out to be a cold and windy twin-bill, the Rangers were handed two losses in the conference opener.  

Game 1
With junior Madison Garza in the circle making her sixth start of the season, the Rangers were looking to snap a five game slide after getting last weekend off. The Golden Suns managed to plate one in the top of the 1^st off Garza when Jalissa Gum drove in Sarah Coronado with a single to put the visitors on the board early.

After Tech took the lead in the 1^st, a pitcher's duel ensued that would last until the 5^th inning.  Going 3-up-3-down in the first two innings, the Rangers saw their first base runner in the bottom of the 3^rd when Peyton Garrett drew a walk off of ATU starter Cara Tolar. Garrett advanced to second on a wild pitch and then took third on another wild pitch before being stranded.

Although Garza surrendered a run in the 1^st, she cruised through the next three innings. It wasn't until the top of the 5^th that the Golden Suns added another run thanks to an important two-out rally. Gum doubled off the wall and then Tolar followed that up with an RBI triple to right field to make it 2-0 for Arkansas Tech.

The story of the game was pitcher Cara Tolar, who took a no-hitter all the way into the 7^th against Northwestern.

Armed with a four run lead heading into the final frame, Tolar took to the circle with hopes of closing out the no-no. But the Rangers bats finally found some heat on this cold day. Madi Parrott drew a crucial lead-off walk before Madison McGraw cashed her in with a triple off the fence, getting the Rangers on the board while knocking Tolar out of the game.

Golden Suns head coach Kristina McSweeney brought in closer Morgan Vaughn to shut the door, but the Rangers managed to score McGraw when Audrey Estes grounded out to second. Looking for a 7^th inning magic, Macy Madewell reached on an error by Vaughn, bringing the tying run to the plate in Megan Sanders. Sanders grounded out to the pitcher and then Amber Mills went down swinging to end the ballgame.

In her first victory of the season, Cara Tolar held the Ranger offense to just one hit over six-plus innings of work while recording four strikeouts, but Northwestern did manage two earned runs in the 4-2 loss.

Game 2
The Northwestern coaching staff sent Karly Murray to pitch in the second game with hopes of stopping Arkansas Tech. But the Golden Suns picked up right where they left off in the first game, tagging Murray for a run in the top of the 1^st. A leadoff double by Sydnie Henson, who went 4-for-4 in game two, came around to score when pitcher Jalissa Gum drove her in with a single up the middle.

A Brittany Corrales two-bagger in the bottom half of the 1^st was left on base after Gum sat down back-to-back Rangers on strikes.

Murray found herself in quite the jam in the 3^rd inning when the Golden Suns loaded the bases with none out. Faced with minimizing the damage, Murray settled down to get the next three Arkansas Tech hitters, escaping the inning unscathed.  

The Lady Rangers were fired up after Murray pitched her way out of danger, but Gum wasn't about to let that affect her pitching performance. The 5'7 senior hurler sat down the Rangers in order in the bottom half, killing any potential momentum swing.

Arkansas Tech carried their 1-0 lead through to the 4^th inning, where they managed to put together yet another two-out rally. Tech added two more runs off three hits, extending their lead to 3-0. But Northwestern would strike back in the bottom half.

Madi Parrott singled through the left side for her second hit of the afternoon. The Rangers caught a break when Estes was at the plate with two outs. The Tulsa native singled to right field, but Tolar mishandled the ball, allowing Parrott to come around and score Northwestern's only run of the game.

The Golden Suns added a run in the 6^th and another in the 7^th, defeating the Rangers 5-1. Murray took the loss, allowing three earned runs on nine hits, with two walks. Jalissa Gum won her second game of the year for Ark Tech, throwing a complete game while notching 10 strikeouts, allowing just one unearned run.
 
Up Next

The Rangers and Golden Suns will square off again tomorrow (Saturday, February 25) in a GAC double-header. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. at the ARC.

For the latest news and updates on Ranger Softball, follow @NWOSUAthletics on Twitter or visit www.riderangersride.com