OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian softball team will head up to Stillwater, Okla. this weekend as the Evangels will play in four games at the HBCU Hall of Fame Tournament hosted by Langston.
The Evangels will open the tourney on Friday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Kansas Wesleyan before turning right back around to face Our Lady of the Lake at 3 p.m. On Saturday, MACU will start the day off with an 11 a.m. game against McPherson before closing out the tournament with a 1 p.m. rematch against Our Lady of the Lake.
LAST TIME OUT
Mid-America Christian (10-2) competed in its first road doubleheader on Tuesday, splitting the series at Southwestern with a 13-12 loss in game one before bouncing back with an 11-1 victory in game two.
In the first game, the Evangels trailed 13-3 after the first three innings, but mounted a huge rally behind a six-run fourth inning and a three-run fifth to close the gap to one. However, the Evangels couldn't quite push the tying run across to fall in their first road game of the season.
Hannah Salmon finished just a homer away from the cycle to lead the MACU bats, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and scored four runs. Faith Hollingsworth also swung a hot bat, slashing 3-for-4 on a double and triple with three RBIs and a run to also finish just a home run away from the cycle. Olivia Roberts was also an on-base machine, going 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a pair of runs.
MACU regained its composure in game two, as the Evangels scored nine runs in the second inning before cruising to the 11-1 win.
After struggling in game one, McKenzie Smith bounced back with a complete game, allowing just one earned run on five hits, four walks and a strikeout.
Roberts led the way with a solid 3-for-3 performance on a double with an RBI and two runs while Camenda Osborn batted 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run.
SCOUTING THE COYOTES
Kansas Wesleyan will be the first of four tough tests for the Evangels, entering the tournament with a 7-7 overall record. The Coyotes are coming off a 2-2 week at home, sweeping Hastings (Neb.) 4-3 and 5-1 before being swept by Concordia (Neb.) 12-4 and 11-2 on Saturday.
Junior infielder Sierra Martinez will lead the KWU bats, batting a team-high .393 with three RBIs and five runs off of two doubles and a triple. Junior pitcher Tara Stubits has been the squad's best run producer so far this season, recording nine RBIs off a double and two homers with a .302 average.
In the circle, junior Carmen Anguilo has been the team's ace, appearing in eight games and making seven starts while posting a 4-3 record. Anguilo is allowing a 2.06 ERA on a .210 batting average with 10 walks and 21 strikeouts in 37.1 innings of work. Stubits has also been one of the team's top pitchers, notching a 3-4 record in seven appearances and six complete games. Stubits is giving up a 3.58 ERA on a .298 batting average with 15 walks and 33 strikeouts over 45 innings.
HISTORY WITH THE COYOTES
Mid-America Christian will be seeking its first win during the NAIA era over Kansas Wesleyan as the Coyotes have won the last 13 games since 2011. The two teams will be facing each other for the first time in three seasons when KWU came to Jack Allen Field and left with 7-2, 4-2 wins on Feb. 11, 2017.
SCOUTING THE SAINTS
Our Lady of the Lake makes its way into the tournament with a 9-12 overall record. The Saints are coming off a three-game sweep over the University of the Southwest (N.M.) with 13-4 and 9-1 wins on Friday before finishing with a 9-0 victory on Saturday.
Sophomore catcher Joanna Gonzalez has been mashing so far in the early season for OLLU, not only leading the team with a .400 batting average, but is also the team's biggest run producer with 20 RBIs off three homers and six doubles while scoring 12 times. Sophomore infielder Ariel Montgomery is also a very dangerous bat in the Saints lineup, ripping a team-high four homers with four doubles and a triple for 15 RBIs and 13 runs while slashing .310.
Junior pitcher Cierra Martinez has seen a load of the work from the circle this season, posting a 4-6 record in 12 starts. The strikeout hurler giving up a team-worst 4.40 ERA off a .239 average with 14 walks and 60 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.
HISTORY WITH THE SAINTS
Mid-America Christian and Our Lady of the Lake will be facing each other for the first time during the NAIA era.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Two of the winningest teams in the tournament will clash on Saturday as McPherson makes its way into the HBCU Tournament with a 9-4 overall record. The Bulldogs are coming off a split against Newman on Wednesday, winning the first game 11-3 before dropping a 9-5 contest in game two.
Junior infielder Maile Deutch is one of the top 20 hitters in the NAIA so far this season, batting .553 with 10 RBIs off nine doubles and a homer to go with 10 runs scored. Junior infielder Kylecia Taylor is also a very dangerous bat for McPherson, leading the team with 15 RBIs off five doubles, two triples, two home runs and 10 runs to go with a .432 average.
The Bulldogs have been pitching by committee this season, but freshman Raegan Klepp has seen the most work, posting a 4-2 record in eight appearances. Klepp is allowing a 4.91 ERA off a .372 opponent batting average, walking just two and striking out 17 over 31.1 innings.
HISTORY WITH THE BULLDOGS
In the NAIA era, McPherson holds a slight 5-4 edge over the Evangels, including winning the last three. Last season, MACU faced the Bulldogs in the NAIA Softball Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas on Mar. 2, 2019, falling 3-1 in the contest.
LIVE-BAT OLIVIA
Coming off a doubleheader split at Southwestern, freshman first baseman Olivia Roberts was phenomenal from the batter's box. Roberts batted 5-for-6 (.833) with two doubles, two RBIs and scored four runs. Roberts currently ranks 19th in the NAIA in batting average at .553.
