MCPHERSON, Kan. - As the Mid-America Christian University softball team headed into the season's final day, they knew they had work to do in order to securd postseason positioning on two fronts. MACU needed to win twice to secure the number three seed in the upcoming Sooner Athletic Conference tournament, and a sweep of the day's three games - including the conclusion of a game which was suspended on February 22 - would all but ensure MACU's status as the top seed in the NCCAA central region tournament.
MACU (29-16, 22-14 SAC) accomplished both goals, and Regan Martin was a big reason why. Martin earned two wins and a save on the day, as MACU beat Central Christian College of Kansas (16-38, 8-28 SAC) 3-2 in the suspended game, then 5-1 and 12-6 in the day's scheduled twin bill.
The teams resumed the suspended game first, picking up in the bottom of the third inning with the score tied at 2-2. MACU had to turn the ball over to a new pitcher in the game, as the day's original starting pitcher, Larie Amos, was injured in the time between the suspension and the resumption of play, and coach Robert Wakefield tabbed freshman Adrienne Phillips for the job.
Phillips stepped to the plate to end the bottom of the third before heading out to the circle, but once she got there, she pitched well. Phillips allowed only two hits in three innings of work on the rubber, and a two-out infield RBI single from Ribbin Dorado gave her a 3-2 lead.
Phillips (3-1) pitched into the seventh, but she was lifted after a lead-off single in the seventh frame, and Martin came in for the save. The sophomore from Sheridan, Arkansas slammed the door, earning her third save of the season.
Cheyann Sales was hit with the loss in the game, and Dorado and Alanna Leisy each had a pair of hits in the contest.
The day's scheduled twin-bill began with MACU batting as the visiting team for the final two games, and in the top of the first frame, MACU jumped out on top. Brittany Ward had a two-out two-RBI single in the inning, and Hannah Salmon stole home for a third run as MACU built a 3-0 lead. CCCK answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Martin limited the Tigers to one run, and she took command of the game.
Martin retired 13-of-14 hitters beginning in the bottom of the second, and while she was mowing down the Tigers' hitters, Jessica Holt scored on a wild pitch and Salmon picked up an RBI hit to extend MACU's lead to 5-1.
Martin (14-5) allowed one earned run on three hits and three walks in the win. Sales (7-14) took the loss for the Tigers, yielding four runs on six hits in five innings. None of the three pitchers who appeared in the game notched a strikeout.
Leisy and Salmon each notched two hits in the game, Leisy scored twice, and Ward knocked in two. Hanna Harris belted a double and walked twice in four trips, and Salmon added a stolen base.
Having secured their seeding in the SAC, the Evangels headed out to try and finish off the sweep with a game 3 win, and Caitlin Butler put them on the right track in the second inning. Butler singled in Salmon and Ward to put MACU up 2-0, and Ward scored again two innings later to add to MACU's lead.
CCCK put together a rally in the bottom of the fourth inning, as they took advantage of a pair of MACU errors to tally four runs - though only two were earned - and take their first lead of the day. That lead was short-lived, however.
MACU re-took the lead and broke the game open in the top of the sixth. The Evangels plated five runs in the frame, which was highlighted by Harris's 18th double of the season. The double drove in a pair, and Leisy had an RBI hit in the inning as well, and in the top of the seventh, MACU put the game away with four more runs, including two more on a single from Harris, as the Evangels pulled away to the 12-6 win.
Martin (15-5) set a new season high with her 15th win as she threw the final three and two-thirds innings of the game. She allowed two unearned runs and scattered three hits and two walks while she recorded three strikeouts. Shiloh Burns (2-12) took the loss for CCCK, giving up seven runs on nine hits and four walks in five and two-thirds innings.
Harris and Leisy were each 2-for-5 with a double in the game, Leisy scored two runs, and Harris drove in four. Ward and Holt each had two singles and two runs scored, Butler singled twice and knocked in three, and Salmon and Brook Hendrickson also scored a pair of runs each.
The wins put a finish on the regular season for the Evangels, who next will enter Sooner Athletic Conference tournament play. The Evangels are the SAC's third-seeded team, putting them in the Oklahoma City pool along with the No. 2 Oklahoma City University Stars (48-6), the No. 6 Oklahoma Panhandle State University Aggies (29-19), and the No. 7 Langston University Lady Lions (19-30). The teams will play a round-robin pool play schedule on Thursday and Friday, May 2 and 3, with the winner of the pool advancing to the SAC Championhip game on Saturday at OCU at 1 p.m.
MACU will open their SAC tournament slate against OPSU on Thursday, May 2, at 11 a.m.; and the Evangels will also play the 3 p.m. game that day against Langston. The Evangels are set to take on the host Oklahoma City Stars on Friday at 3 p.m.
