Box Score PHOTOSMichelle Sorensen pitched a no-hit shutout and Henderson State collected ten hits to run-rule Southern Arkansas 9-0 in the opening round of the Great American Conference Softball Championships Thursday in Bentonville, Ark.
Sorensen, the GAC Pitcher of the Year, struck out six batters, gave up one walk, and retired the final 13 batters to improve to 17-9 on the season.
After a scoreless first inning, Henderson State erupted for five runs in the second, sparked by a two-run home run by
Sarah Gipson.
With Gipson's two runs batted in, she set the Henderson State career record with 156 previously held by Kelcie Glidden from 2005-08.
All five runs in the inning came with two outs with
Tricia Hock providing the first run of the game with a single up the middle to plate
Ashlyn White who walked and would advance to third on a single by
Caroline Cullins.
Amy Halter would then smack a double to left center field to score two more runs before Gipson's blast.
The Reddies, 38-11 on the year, added a single run in the third inning when
Ashlyn White hit a solo home run, her ninth of the season to put HSU on top 6-0.
Henderson State's offense continued to pile up runs, scoring three more in the fourth inning.
The Reddies had four hits in the frame including RBI singles by
Keirsten Seahorn and White.
Halter led the Reddie offense with three hits and a pair of RBI, while White, Gipson and Hock had two hits each.
HSU advances in the winner's bracket to play the winner of the Arkansas Tech/Harding game at 8 p.m. Thursday night at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
Live stats, video, and audio are available by logging on to the Henderson State athletic website at www.hsusports.com.
