OKLAHOMA CITY – For much of the evening on Thursday night, the Mid-America Christian University softball team was competitive in their double-header at NAIA #7 Oklahoma City University. Late in both games, however, the Stars were able to pull away to comfortable victories.
MACU (12-6, 2-4 SAC) was unable to get the offense going, but the Lady Evangels battled OCU (18-5, 7-1 SAC) fiercely before falling in both games. MACU dropped the first game 12-3 in five innings, and they lost game two 7-0.
OCU broke the ice in game one in the bottom of the second inning when they scored three runs aided by a dropped fly ball in the MACU outfield to take a 3-0 lead. In the third, the Stars tallied three more runs on five hits, chasing MACU starting pitcher Courtney Anderson from the game, and after three innings, OCU led 6-0.
Larie Amos led off the top of the fourth frame with a solo home run, and later in the frame, Jessica Holt drove home a pair of runs as MACU put three runs on the board to cut the Stars' lead in half, but that was the end of the momentum shift in MACU's favor.
Baleigh Loux and Brittany Perez hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the fourth to put OCU up 8-3, and with two outs in the fifth frame, Perez lofted a grand slam to center field to end the game in a 12-3 Oklahoma City victory.
Anderson (3-3) took the loss for the Evangels in the circle, allowing six runs – four earned – on eight hits and three walks without a strikeout. Georgia Wall (8-3) earned the win, allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.
Amos was 2-for-3 with a single and a homer, and Hanna Harris singled twice as well. MACU also got singles from Caitlin Butler and Alanna Leisy in the game, and Courtney Hickman and Amber O'Bryant each scored runs.
In game two, MACU got a two out double from Jessica Johnson off the left field fence in the second inning, but the Lady Evangels were unable to get the run home, and OCU immediately made it hurt.
The Stars got a one out RBI-single from Bailey Whitmore that plated two runs in the second inning, but MACU got out of the inning on a well-executed rundown play that ended the rally. OCU added a run in the fourth, but again, MACU limited the damage and heading to the sixth inning, OCU led only 3-0. In the sixth, though, OCU added four unearned runs to break the game open, and MACU went quietly in the seventh frame, as OCU completed the sweep with the 7-0 win.
Abby Meador (6-1) fired a complete game two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts to earn the win. Caitlin Butler (1-1) took the loss, yielding three earned runs on seven hits and one walk in three and two-thirds innings.
Johnson's double and a single from Ribbin Anderson were the only two hits for the Lady Evangels in the game.
MACU will return home for a non-conference double-header on Friday against the Royals of Ecclesia College (Ark.) (0-7). First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
