Shawnee, Okla. -- Jackie Hilterbran and Mykah Smith went a combined 7-of-7 at the plate to lead the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels to a 9-5 victory at the No. 6-ranked St. Gregory's University Cavaliers in the opening game of a doubleheader today (Apr. 9) in Shawnee, Okla. The Cavaliers rebounded to win the second game 7-3 on a walk-off grand slam by Ashli Hafford in the bottom of the seventh.
The Lady Evangels trailed 5-2 in the first game when Hilterbran singled to lead off the fourth and scored on Mykah Smith's second two-run homer of the day that quickly made it a one-run game.
MACU tied the score on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Green that plated pinch-runner Paige Finney and an error led to Cassidy Hart scoring the go-ahead run.
The seventh saw the Lady Evangels tack on three valuable insurance runs on RBI singles by Katie Gracey, Hart and then a bases-loaded walk to Green.
Macie Crites made the most of the run support provided, blanking the Cavaliers on only two hits over the last four innings. She struck out eight overall and walked only one for her ninth win of the season.
Smith went 3-of-3 and drove in four runs to continue her torrid hitting pace. The Ardmore, Okla. native is batting a sizzling .667 with four homers and eight RBI over her last four games.
Hilterbran was also a perfect 4-of-4 with three runs scored. Natalie Bissell was also a perfect 3-of-3, while Hart had two hits and Green drove in two runs.
The Lady Evangels (20-11, 8-7 SAC) again fell behind in the nightcap 2-0 before jumping ahead with three runs in the fourth on run-scoring singles from Carson Osborne, Rachel Manning along with an RBI fielder's choice by Green.
It remained 3-3 until pitcher Hafford gave herself the win with a one-out, walk-off grand slam in the seventh that allowed the sixth-ranked Cavaliers (23-7, 8-6 SAC) to salvage a split.
Hilterbran, Green and Taryn Callender each had two hits in the second game for the Lady Evangels.
Caitlin Swain started for MACU and lasted three innings with three runs allowed. Marki Dethloff followed and pitched three scoreless frames until allowing the four runs in the seventh inning.
The Lady Evangels will next return home and host Oklahoma Baptist University on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 11), with the first game slated to begin at 1 p.m. at Jack Allen Field.
