OKLAHOMA CITY - The Mid-America Christian University softball team was at home for the second straight day on Friday, as they opened Sooner Athletic Conference play with a double-header against Central Christian College of Kansas. MACU opened the day in impressive fashion, but Mother Nature intervened in the night cap, and the teams were forced to suspend the day's activities.
MACU (2-0) blanked CCCK (1-2) 8-0 in six innings in game one of the twin bill, and the game was tied a 2-2 in the middle of the third inning in game two when play was suspended.
MACU struck first in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Ribbin Anderson reached on an error to start the afternoon, and she promptly stole second base and scored on an RBI double from Amber O'Bryant. After a single from Hannah Salmon put runners at the corners with nobody out, the Evangels tried to get Salmon caught in a rundown to steal a run, which they did, and Salmon was safe at first base as well as the Tigers botched the rundown play.
Caitlin Butler doubled home Brittany Ward in the bottom of the fourth frame, and MACU added a pair of unearned tallies in the bottom of the fifth on a bases loaded walk to Hanna Harris and a pop out from Alanna Leisy. In the bottom of the sixth, Anderson singled home Butler, and after a bunt single from Hannah Salmon put the game-ending run on base, Adrienne Phillips singled on a soft line drive to right center that scored Anderson from second and Salmon from first to end the game.
MACU tallied eight runs on nine hits with one error, while Central Christian tallied three hits and committed four defensive miscues.
Regan Martin (1-0) tossed the complete game shutout, giving up three hits and walking one while fanning six Tigers. Lakota Wolf (0-1) gave up eight runs - though only two were earned - on nine hits, and she walked one and struck out one.
Salmon had the only multi-hit game for either side in the game, as she picked up a pair of singles in four at bats. Salmon, Anderson, and O'Bryant scored twice each; Phillips had two RBIs; and O'Bryant, Harris, and Butler each doubled in the contest.
Anderson singled and scored in the bottom of the first inning of game two, but the Evangels were unable to score O'Bryant from third with two outs in the inning. Central Christian pushed across their first run of the day on a two-out RBI base knock from Altavia Hall in the top of the second, but Liesy scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the frame to give MACU the 2-1 lead back. Another two out single from CCCK tied the score in the top of the third, but a well-executed relay play caught the batter, Jessica Aldana trying to advance on the throw to end the inning with the game tied at 2-2.
The coaches and umpires got together after the frame, and the decision was made to pull the tarp as a preventative move with rain heading into the area. After a delay of approximately 40 minutes, the decision was made to suspend play due to concerns over the condition of the outfield.
The game will be resumed on Friday, March 1 at 11 a.m. at MACU in the bottom of the third inning.
MACU is next scheduled to play on Tuesday, February 26, on the road at Oklahoma Wesleyan University (2-7) for a double-header at 2 p.m.
