WAXAHACHIE, Texas - After taking spring break off, the Mid-America Christian University softball team headed south for a pair of weekend double-headers in Sooner Athletic Conference play on Friday. The Evangels opened the trip in Waxahachie, Texas with a date with the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lady Lions, and the teams split the twin bill.
SAGU (15-10, 10-2 SAC) took game one by holding off a late MACU (10-6, 5-4 SAC) rally, but the Evangels bounced back in game two behind a 5-run seventh inning to take the 8-0 win and earn the split.
SAGU struck first in game one, plating two runs in the bottom of the second on a double, a triple and a single before Regan Martin settled in and retired the next three in order to limit the damage. SAGU tallied three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of two MACU errors in the frame to stretch their lead to 5-0, but MACU rallied in the sixth.
Amber O'Bryant got things started with a two-out single, and Hannah Salmon drove her in with a base hit to get MACU on the board. Larie Amos and Alanna Leisy followed with consecutive walks to load the bases, and Martin reached on an error to plate another run and extend the inning. Taylor Bankston followed with a two-RBI single to left to pull MACU to within one at 5-4, but the Lady Lions managed to keep the tying run from scoring to preserve the 5-4 lead.
Martin kept the Lady Lions from adding on to the lead in the bottom of the sixth, but the Evangels went down in order in the seventh, and SAGU held on to win the game.
Casey Waterman (11-4) picked up the win in the circle, pitching the complete game and yielding four runs - only one earned - on five hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. Martin (5-2) took the tough luck loss, despite matching the complete game effort. Martin threw six innings and allowing five runs - only two of which were earned - on eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
Salmon and Bankston each singled twice for MACU in the game, and Bankston picked up a pair of RBIs.
MACU broke the ice in game two in the top of the second inning. Bankston reached on an error to lead off the inning, and she came home to score on a two-out single from Ribbin Dorado to put MACU up 1-0.
SAGU put a runner in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but on a base hit from Morgan Valentino, pinch-runner Talliyah Grant was thrown out at third by Dorado, and the threat was extinguished.
MACU added another two out run in the top of the fourth when Jessica Holt scampered home on an error, and a sacrifice fly from Caitlin Butler in the sixth pushed the MACU advantage to 3-0.
The Evangels broke the game open in the top of the seventh inning, plating five insurance runs on five hits. Amos, Bankston, and Brittany Ward each had RBI hits in the inning, and Leisy added a sac fly as MACU stretched their lead out on their way to the 8-0 win.
McKenzie Smith (4-1) earned the win, throwing her second shutout of the season. She scattered three hits in seven innings, and she walked two and struck out a pair. Waterman (11-5) threw six and one-third innings and gave up eight runs, five earned, on 13 hits with three strikeouts.
MACU is scheduled to continue the weekend on Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth Texas when they will take on the Texas Wesleyan University Rams (5-19, 3-7 SAC) at 12 p.m.
