OKLAHOMA CITY - The Mid-America Christian University softball team put a scare into the NAIA #3 Oklahoma City University Stars in game one of their double header on Friday afternoon. The Evangels had the tying runs in scoring position in each of the last two innings of the day's first contest, but they were unable to cash in the chances, and the momentum OCU built carried over into the second game of the day.
MACU (26-16, 19-14 SAC) left five runners on base in the bottom of the sixth and the seventh innings, but they were unable to push across runs in either inning, and the third-ranked Stars (48-6, 30-4 SAC) swept the double dip 2-0 and 10-0.
OCU threatened in the top of the first two innings, but MACU's Regan Martin escaped the jams both times. In the first, the Stars put the first two batters on base thanks to a single and a walk, but Martin retired the next three batters in order to keep the game scoreless. In the second inning, a one-out triple gave the Stars a runner at third, but Martin induced a ground out and notched her second strikeout of the game to end the threat.
In the tho of the third, OCU opened the scoring without the benefit of a hit. Their lead off hitter, Kennedy Jackson, walked and stole two bases before she scored on a squeeze bunt from Baleigh Loux to put OCU on top 1-0. In the fourth, OCU took advantage of a MACU error to plate an unearned tally which doubled their lead, but Martin stranded the bases loaded to keep the margin at 2-0.
MACU began to get to OCU starting pitcher Jaden Shores later in the game. In the fifth frame, MACU put two runners aboard with two down when Caitlin Butler singled and Michelle Brazil was hit by a pitch, but they were unable to move the runners up before the inning ended. Jessica Holt led off the sixth with a walk and Amber O'Bryant followed with a single to put two on with no one out, but Shores retired the next three in a row to escape unscathed. In the seventh, Martin drew a leadoff walk, and with one out, Brook Hendrickson and Ribbin Dorado had back-to-back singles to load the bases with one out. OCU lifted Shores and brought in Kylie Dodson to face the top of the order, and she got the Start out of the inning with a strikeout and a fielder's choice grounder to preserve the shutout.
Shores (24-4) picked up the win, throwing six and one-third innings of shutout ball, scattering five hits and three walks, and striking out a pair of MACU hitters. Martin (13-5) fired a complete game in the loss for MACU, and she allowed two runs - only one earned - on seven hits and six walks with four strikeouts. Dodson earned her fourth save of the season in two-thirds of an inning.
Five different Evangels - Holt, O'Bryant, Butler, Hendrickson, and Dorado - each had singles in the game, and Holt, Hanna Harris, and Martin each drew a free pass.
Each team stranded a runner on base in the first inning of game two, but in the top of the second inning, OCU took control.
The Stars plated five runs in the second inning - three of which were unearned - and in the top of the third, OCU's Jaci Smith made history, hitting a two-run homer that lifted her season RBI total to 107 which set a new single season NAIA record. That came as a part of a three run inning that pushed the Stars' lead to 8-0. OCU added single runs in the fourth and fifth, and they completed the sweep with a 10-0 win.
Dodson (24-2) threw the complete game for OCU, she allowed four hits and one walk while striking out three in the shutout. McKenzie Smith (9-5) gave up five runs - two earned - on four hits and four walks in two innings, and she was hit with the loss for MACU.
Holt, O'Bryant, Harris, and Hendrickson each singled in the game for MACU.
The Evangels will conclude their regular season on Monday afternoon when they hit the road for McPherson, Kansas. There, the Evangels will take on the Central Christian College Tigers (15-34, 5-24 SAC) in what amounts to a triple header. The teams will resume a suspended game from February 22 with the score tied at two and MACU batting in the bottom of the third inning at 1 p.m., and the day's scheduled double-dip will start after the conclusion of that game. MACU can clinch the third seed in the upcoming Sooner Athletic Conference Championship with two wins in the three games.
