OKLAHOMA CITY – Regan Martin is making a habit out of throwing no-hitters.
The Mid-America Christian University freshman did her Johnny Vander Meer impression, throwing her second straight no-hitter and her third in the last 14 days on Friday afternoon, as MACU (21-7) won the second game of a twin-bill against Crowley's Ridge College (13-17) to salvage a split of the day with the Pioneers. CRC won game one 6-3.
Crowley's Ridge scored single runs in the first and second frames to build a 2-0 lead, and in the fifth frame, the Pioneers plated three more to take a 5-0 lead.
MACU remained quiet at the plate until the bottom of the sixth when the Lady Evangels loaded the bases with two outs. Alanna Leisy then lifted a fly ball over the head of the center fielder for a bases-clearing double to pull MACU within two at 5-3, but Leisy was thrown out returning to the second base bag to end the inning. Crowley's Ridge added an unearned run in the top of the seventh, and MACU was unable to answer in the bottom half as CRC claimed the win 6-3.
Sammi Henry (7-7) allowed three earned runs on four hits and two walks in six inningsto earn the win, while MACU's Larie Amos was tagged for the loss. Amos yielded five runs, four earned, on eight hits, two walks, and five strikeouts. Amos, Leisy, and Hannah Salmon had the only three hits in the game for MACU.
CRC struck first in the second game, taking advantage of two MACU errors to plate an unearned run, but MACU answered immediately with an unearned tally of their own, and after one inning of play, the game was tied at 1-1.
MACU broke the game open in the bottom of the third frame. Ribbin Anderson singled to short, and she scored on an error on a sacrifice attempt from Larissa Tate as the next batter. Amos and Salmon followed with back-to-back RBI-doubles, and Amber O'Bryant also drove in a run with a single as MACU scored five runs in the frame to take a 6-1 lead.
The Evangels added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth frame, and at the same time, Martin was cruising in the circle for MACU. Martin retired the final 16 batters she faced, spanning the game's final five innings. She struck out six of those 16 hitters, and only four balls left the infield after the first inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Evangels took advantage of an error to put a runner at third with two outs, and Jessica Johnson at the plate. Johnson took two strikes before she laced a single up the middle for a game-ending hit as the Lady Evangels claimed the 9-1 win and gave Martin her third no-hitter of the season.
Martin (7-1) allowed one unearned run on one walk, and she struck out nine in the complete game. Henry (7-8) gave up nine runs – only four earned – on 10 hits and one walk without a strikeout in taking the complete game loss.
Ribbin Anderson singled and scored three times, and she stole two bases as well. Salmon singled and doubled with a run, a stolen base, and three RBIs; and Amos doubled for the Lady Evangels' only other extra-base hit in the game.
MACU will return to Sooner Athletic Conference play on Tuesday for a very difficult test. The Lady Evangels will head to nearby Chickasha, Oklahoma to battle the NAIA #2 University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma Drovers (30-1, 13-1 SAC) for a twi-night double-header beginning at 4 p.m.
