OKLAHOMA CITY – The St. Gregory's University Cavaliers won both games over the Mid-America Christian Softball Evangels, 4-3 and 6-3 today (Mar. 23) at Jack Allen Field.
The Cavaliers jumped on the Evangels in the opener with a three-run first, including a two-run homer by Crystal Pablo.
It was still 3-0 until Tiphani Napier loudly put the Evangels on the board with her team-leading fourth homer of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth.
The Evangels then managed to pull even with two runs in the fifth. Taryn Callender doubled home Kortney Brown and then scored the tying run on an error.
But SGU's Lauren Miller homered to lead off the sixth inning for what proved to be the winning tally.
Morgan Wardlow allowed four runs, but only one after the first inning. She struck out four and walked none.
Bryn Houlton struck out five and gave up two earned runs in seven innings for the Cavaliers.
Callender went two-of-four in the first game for the Evangels, while Ashli Hafford and Sammy Leisinger each went two-of-four for SGU.
The Cavaliers played long ball in the nightcap, as a solo homer from Hafford and another blast from Miller in the second inning put the Cavaliers up 2-0.
SGU then struck for three runs in the third when a run-scoring single from Miller was sandwiched between RBI doubles by Pablo and Jessica Nelson.
A two-run single by Hanna Harris in the bottom of the third was followed by an RBI single from Larrisa Tate in the fourth that brought the Evangels within 5-3.
The Cavaliers added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI double from Miller that plated Leisinger.
Harris and Katie Gracey each went two-of-four in the second game for the Evangels.
Courtney Anderson started for MACU and went six innings, giving up five runs and striking out two. Caitlin Butler then pitched the seventh and allowed one run.
Kasady Uhr came on with one out and runners at the corners for the Evangels in the third and got a groundout and strikeout to escape further damage. Uhr was the winning pitcher, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits.
Miller paced the Cavaliers in the second game, going three-of-four with three RBIs.
The Evangels will next host Crowley's Ridge College Saturday (Mar. 25) at noon.
