OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University Stars improved to 56-1 overall and 27-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference by pulling off a hard-fought doubleheader sweep of the Mid-America Christian University Lady Evangels today (May 3) by scores of 5-1 and 5-0 at Jack Allen Field.
The SAC postseason tourney is now set, with OCU as the top seed and the Lady Evangels the fifth seed. MACU will open the tournament against fourth-seeded Texas Wesleyan University Thursday morning (May 5) at 11 a.m. at Ann Lacy Stadium on the OCU campus.
Macie Crites held the Stars in check in the early going of the first game, allowing only a pair of bunt singles through the first 2 1/3 innings.
The Lady Evangels grabbed an early lead when Taryn Callender tripled to lead off the first and scored on a single from Cassidy Hart.
With one out in the third, Kali Pugh walked and scored the tying run on a double by Kyndra Holasek.
With the score still 1-1 in the fifth, Pugh led off by reaching on an error that led to three runs, capped by a two-run homer by Madison Ellis.
Ellis then singled home Holasek in the seventh to finish the scoring for OCU.
Crites pitched five innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits.
Georgia Wall relieved OCU starter Leslie Miller with two outs in the first and blanked the Lady Evangels over the final 6 1/3 innings on only one hit.
Much like the opener, the Lady Evangels received effective pitching to keep them in the game.
The combination of starter Caitlin Swain and Morgan Wardlow held the Stars to only one run through the first five innings.
Trailing just 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Evangels loaded the bases with only one out, but OCU starter Leslie Miller wiggled out of the jam by inducing a pop out and strikeout to end the threat.
OCU then responded by pulling away with three runs in the sixth and then adding an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Stephanie Koishor.
Miller threw a complete game shutout for the Stars (56-1, 27-1 SAC), limiting the Lady Evangels to four hits and striking out five.
Swain struck out three in her 3 1/3 innings with one run allowed for the Lady Evangels, while Wardlow pitched 2 2/3 innings and was charged with three runs (two earned). Taylor Fowble pitched the seventh inning and allowed one run with one strikeout.
Callender had two hits in the nightcap for the Lady Evangels (25-23, 10-16 SAC).
