OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels opened the 2012 season with a pair of losses to the Bethany Colllege Swedes Friday afternoon (Feb. 17) at Jack Allen Field.
The Lady Evangels lost the opener 9-4 and then 12-0 in the second game.
Bethany rocked the Lady Evangels for three homers in the first game, including a pair of blasts by Ashley Nicolich.
It was 6-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth when the Lady Evangels rallied for two runs on run-scoring singles by
Ashley Newman and
Brittany Prandy that made it a two-run game.
The Lady Evangels had a chance to do more damage in the sixth with the bases loaded and only one out, but Newman was forced out at home on a fielder's choice and then a groundout ended the threat.
The Swedes then pulled away with three runs in the seventh, powered by Nicolich's second homer of the day, a two-run shot that created the final five-run margin.
Prandy went 2-of-3 with three runs driven in and
Ashlee Dodson was 3-of-4 at the plate.
The nightcap was close much of the way as the Swedes got on the board first with single tallies in the second and third innings for a 2-0 lead.
They maintained that small edge until breaking the game wide-open with a 10 run sixth inning. Camille McIver and Brittany Lewis each had two-run doubles to fuel the big frame.
Lewis and McIver combined for seven RBI to power the Swedes' offensive attack in the second game.
Jennifer Garcia was nearly flawless on the mound for the Swedes, blanking the Lady Evangels on only one hit with nine strikeouts through her six innings of work.
The Lady Evangels will next host a doubleheader with Kansas Wesleyan on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 21) at 1:30 p.m.
