GOODWELL, Okla. – For the third time in the last five season, the Mid-America Christian University softball team has recorded 30 or more wins on the field. For the second time in that span, the Lady Evangels have reached the 34-victory plateau.
MACU (34-18, 15-15 SAC) picked up their 34th win of the season, and they also set a program record for conference wins, as they swapped 7-4 decisions on Saturday afternoon at Oklahoma Panhandle State University (21-30, 8-20 SAC).
OPSU struck first in the first game, plating a run with one away in the bottom of the first, but MACU surged ahead in the middle innings. Hannah Salmon belted her first home run of the season in the top of the third, a leadoff round-tripper to tie the game at 1-1. In the top of the fourth, MACU scored three runs, the last two scoring on a single from Hanna Harris, as MACU built a 4-1 lead.
That score remained into the bottom of the sixth frame, however, OPSU rallied. The Aggies plated six runs on two doubles, and a three run home run from Jackie Sanchez to take a 7-4 lead. The Lady Evangels got a leadoff single from Alanna Leisy in the top of the seventh, but they were unable to get the tying run to the plate, and OPSU held on for the 7-4 win.
Julia Ibarra (12-11) earned the win, as she yielded four runs – only two earned – on 14 hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Regan Martin (11-6) gave up seven runs – six earned – on 11 hits in six innings, and she struck out six without walking a batter.
Stella Millican led the way offensively with a 3-for-4 performance in the game, Ribbin Anderson singled twice and scored, Harris had two base hits and two RBIs, and Amber O'Bryant also had two singles as well.
OPSU drew first blood in game two as well. The Aggies scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first frame, and the team traded deuces in the second frame. Millican and Larissa Tate each picked up RBI knocks in the top of the second, but OPSU surged back in front on a single and a walk in the bottom of the inning. Hannah Salmon and Leisy each picked up RBIs in the fourth frame as MACU reclaimed the lead and the Lady Evangels added three insurance tallies in the top of the seventh on their way to the 7-4 win.
Courtney Anderson (6-6) threw five and two-thirds innings and gave up three runs on four hits, though she issued eight walks and only struck out two, in the victory. Martin worked the final inning and a third for her second save of the season. Lindsay Jacobs (5-12) took the loss, yielding seven runs on 17 hits in seven innings.
Kortney Brown was 3-for-5 in the game with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI; and every MACU starter had at least one hit. Salmon, Harris, Leisy, Millican, Tate, and Jessica Johnson each had two singles in the game as well.
MACU will wrap up their regular season on Monday afternoon when they make the short trip to Bethany, Oklahoma to make up a rained out twin-bill at Southwestern Christian University (10-38, 3-27 SAC) at 2 p.m.
