MUSKOGEE, Okla. - Opening a six-game week on Tuesday afternoon, the Mid-America Christian University softball team hit the road to take on the Bacone College Warriors in a Sooner Athletic Conference double-header. The Evangels took control early, thanks in part to a power show put on by two of MACU's middle of the order bats.
MACU (17-11, 12-9 SAC) got two homers in the double header from Alanna Leisy and another from Hanna Harris as the Evangels blistered Bacone (1-23, 0-22 SAC) in the two games, 13-1 and 8-0 in a pair of run-rule victories.
MACU got of to a quick start in game one. Jessica Holt led off the game by drawing a walk, and Amber O'Bryant followed with a single to put runners at first and third with no one out. Holt scored with one away on a wild pitch, and with two down in the inning, Hannah Salmon drove in O'Bryant to push MACU's lead to 2-0.
Leisy belted a solo homer in the top of the third inning, and the Evangels broke things open in the fourth. Brittany Ward led off the frame with a double, and after she stole third base, Taylor Bankston drove her in with a sacrifice fly. The next five Evangel batters all reached base, with O'Bryant driving in a pair on a double, and Harris belting a two-run homer as a part of a six-run inning that pushed MACU's lead to 9-0. Leisy and Harris each also picked up RBIs as a part of a four-run fifth inning, as MACU cruised to a 13-1 win in five innings.
Regan Martin (8-4) allowed one earned run on one hit in the complete game victory. She walked one batter and struck out seven. The loss went to Hannah Smiley (1-11), who was tagged for 13 earned runs on 16 hits and two walks in five innings.
MACU had seven extra base hits in the game, with Leisy and Harris each notching a homer and a double. O'Bryant, Ward, and Caitlin Butler also doubled in the game for MACU. Holt and Leisy scored three runs each, Leisy and Harris each knocked in a trio and had three hits, and O'Bryant, Salmon, and Butler each picked up a pair of safeties. O'Bryant also scored twice and drove in two.
Holt walked and stole a base to start the second game, and she scored on a single from O'Bryant as once again the Evangels jumped on top early. O'Bryant later scored on a ground out from Leisy to push a second run across in the inning. Ribbin Dorado doubled in Butler in the second inning, and in the third frame, Leisy launched a two-run homer - her second of the day - to push MACU's lead to 5-0.
Brook Hendrickson doubled, stole a base, and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the fourth frame, and in the sixth, MACU scored two more runs on their way to the 8-0 win.
McKenzie Smith (7-3) scattered four hits in five innings for the Evangels. She walked a pair, and she struck out eight in the win. Taya Topaha (0-12) gave up eight earned runs on 10 hits and three walks in six innings to take the loss.
O'Bryant was 4-for-4 in the game with two runs scored and two RBIs. Leisy again drove in three and homered, and Brook Hendrickson and Ribbin Dorado were each 2-for-3 with a double. Hendrickson scored two runs as well.
MACU will return home on Thursday to take on the Langston University Lions (12-23, 6-16 SAC). The double header is slated to begin at 2 p.m.
