Weatherford, OK - Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) athletics faced mixed outcomes over the weekend, as SWOSU Baseball celebrated a strong victory against Arkansas-Monticello, but SWOSU Softball struggled during their doubleheader, falling to the same opponent.
On March 16, 2025, SWOSU Baseball clinched their second consecutive Great American Conference (GAC) series by defeating Arkansas-Monticello 9-2. This win helped the Bulldogs reach the .500 mark within the conference at 7-7, and boosted their overall record to 15-8.
The Bulldogs set the pace early, scoring four runs during the first three innings, capitalizing on errors from the UAM defense. Notably, starting pitcher Sebastian Diaz displayed impressive skill, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, and tallying five strikeouts. He was supported by reliever Conner Watson, who secured the win, maintaining the shutout before SWOSU's offensive floodgates opened.
Gage Gaunt contributed with a key double, adding to the scoring momentum. Following their solid start, the Bulldogs managed to load the bases again without any outs during the seventh inning, leading to more runs as UAM errors continued to plague their efforts. By the end of the game, Sean Monsour and Ty Eastwood led the lineup with significant contributions, with Eastwood achieving notable performance with three hits, culminating at 3-for-4 for the day.
Looking forward, SWOSU Baseball is set to face Oklahoma Baptist on March 18, followed by Southern Arkansas for more GAC play over the weekend on March 21-22. The results of these coming games will critically influence their playoff positioning.
Meanwhile, on the same day, SWOSU Softball's fortunes were less favorable as they lost both games against Arkansas-Monticello, first 4-1 and then 8-7. This left their overall record at 10-15 and 3-10 within the GAC.
During game one, Skyla McPhillips hit a home run, countering the first inning lead by UAM, but her efforts were not enough as UAM pulled away with three runs during the third inning. The Bulldogs managed limited offensive productivity after the third inning, allowing them no additional scoring opportunities—the first game concluding with Alexis Taylor on the mound suffering the loss.
Game two was slightly more encouraging, with SWOSU mounting offensive pressure, especially late. Although they entered the sixth inning trailing 8-4, the team rallied for three runs, highlighted by Kaylee Barkley's two-RBI knock, capped off by effective batting from Kylie Morton and Chesnie Hewitt, with Hewitt also hitting her second home run of the season. Despite these efforts, the Bulldogs could not convert their performance to wins as UAM maintained their lead.
SWOSU Softball will attempt to prevent a series sweep against the Boll Weevils as they prepare for the final game on March 17, 2025, at noon. With adjustments needed to maintain offensive pressure throughout, the Bulldogs are hoping to build on their recent late-game contributions to secure the much-needed victory.
Overall, SWOSU Athletics displayed resilience and determination over the weekend, with Baseball finding solid footing within the league, and Softball striving to improve on their already challenging season. Fans and supporters will look to see if SWOSU can continue building on the baseball momentum and seek redemption for the softball team as they prepare for the final matchup against UAM.
