CHICKASHA, Okla. – Sophomore starting pitcher Chana Wolfe struck out a career-best nine batters to help lead the MACU softball team to a doubleheader split at No. 4 Science & Arts as the Evangels won the opener 3-2 before falling to the Drovers 7-2 at Bill Smith Ballpark.
 
GAME ONE
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 3, Science & Arts 2
  • Mid-America Christian (15-9, 8-5 SAC)
  • Science & Arts (18-6, 9-4 SAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Chana Wolfe (5-2)
• Loss: Sophie Williams (12-3)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Chana Wolfe – W, CG, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO
• Makenzie Thurman – 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
• Talyn Wheeler – 1-2, RBI, BB
• Stormy Haynes – 1-3, 2 R, SB

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Makenzie Thurman singled to left, 2 RBI; Brooklyn Wilson scored; Stormy Haynes scored – MACU 2, USAO 0
• TOP 4^th – MACU – Talyn Wheeler singled to left, RBI; Stormy Haynes scored – MACU 3, USAO 0
• BTM 6^th – USAO – Jadyn Goucher reached on a fielding error by 3b, RBI; Malea McMurtrey scored – MACU 3, USAO 1
• BTM 7^th – USAO – Malea McMurtrey grounded out to p on sac bunt, RBI; Jordan Ramsay scored – MACU 3, USAO 2

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian scored its three runs on six hits and committed an error while Science & Arts scored its two runs on six hits with one miscue.
• While runs were tough to come by, the Evangels capitalized on a golden opportunity in the top of the third. Following a Stormy Haynes lead-off bunt single and Brooklyn Wilson drew a walk, both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch before Makenzie Thurman delivered a clutch two-out, two-RBI single to left to give MACU the 2-0 advantage.
• MACU tried to add to it in the top of the third as Haynes laid down a squeeze bunt to try and score Hallie Wilson from third that ended up being unsuccessful on the 1-2 fielder's choice out at home, Haynes still got her opportunity to reach home later in the frame. After stealing second, Talyn Wheeler smashed a single to left to score the Evangels' shortstop to stretch the lead to 3-0.
• The Drovers mustered their first major threat in the bottom of the fifth as Taygan Graham reached on a one-out single to right, stole second and got down to third on a groundout. However, MACU starting pitcher Chana Wolfe got out of the jam by striking out USAO's top hitter Macenzie Ruth to end the inning.
• MACU had a chance to add an insurance run when Hallie Wilson reached on an error to start the frame, got down to second on a sac bunt and trotted down to third on a wild pitch. However, USAO starting pitcher Sophie Williams retired Wheeler to keep it to a 3-0 game.
• The Drovers managed to score their first run in the bottom of the sixth when singles by Malea McMurtrey and Leighanne Eaton put runners at second and third with one out. An RBI on an error grounded to Kisbel Vizcaya allowed McMurtrey to score, but Wolfe limited the damage by notching a 6-4 fielder's choice out at third and struck out Kamryn James to keep it to 3-1.
• USAO gave the Evangels a major scare as back-to-back singles by Addison Willis and Ruth put two runners in scoring position with just one out. The Drovers cut it to one when McMurtrey laid down a sacrifice squeeze bunt to score one and move the tying run to third, but Wolfe ended the threat by getting Williams to pop out to second to wrap-up the 3-2 final.
• Chana Wolfe improved to 5-2 in the circle this season after tossing a complete game, allowing only two runs, one earned on six hits with a walk and notched a career-best nine strikeouts.
• Makenzie Thurman led the MACU bats, slashing 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBIs while Stormy Haynes scored two of MACU's three runs on a 1-for-3 day with a stolen base.
• Talyn Wheeler notched MACU's only other RBI on a 1-for-2 game from the plate with a walk drawn.

GAME TWO
SCORE

• Science & Arts 7, Mid-America Christian 2
  • Mid-America Christian (15-10, 8-6 SAC)
  • Science & Arts (19-6, 10-4 SAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Jayden Anderson (5-2)
• Loss: Rachel Eggleston (5-5)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Talyn Wheeler – 1-2, RBI
• Morgan Fowble – 1-3, RBI
• Emylee Campbell – 2-3
• Karlee Danielson – 2-3

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 1^st – MACU – Morgan Fowble singled to right, RBI; Taela Hubbard scored – MACU 1, USAO 0
• TOP 3^rd – MACU – Talyn Wheeler hit a sac fly to lf, RBI; Kisbel Vizcaya scored – MACU 2, USAO 0
• BTM 4^th – USAO – Sierra Selfridge singled to left, RBI; Malea McMurtrey scored – MACU 2, USAO 1
• BTM 4^th – USAO – Addison Willis reached on a fielder's choice sac bunt, RBI; Jadyn Goucher scored – MACU 2, USAO 2
• BTM 4^th – USAO – Taygan Graham singled up the middle, RBI; Kinzie Williams scored – USAO 3, MACU 2
• BTM 4^th – USAO – Jaylee Willis reached on a fielder's choice sac bunt, RBI; Addison Willis scored – USAO 4, MACU 2
• BTM 4^th – USAO – Taygan Graham scored on a wild pitch – USAO 5, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – USAO – Jordan Ramsay scored on a wild pitch – USAO 6, MACU 2
• BTM 6^th – USAO – Malea McMurtrey singled to center, RBI; Macenzie Ruth scored – USAO 7, MACU 2

GAME NOTES

• Science & Arts scored its seven runs on eight hits and committed an error while the Evangels scored their two runs on eight hits.
• MACU got on the board first after taking advantage of an errant throw by the second baseman that allowed Talyn Wheeler to reach second with two outs. After being replaced by courtesy runner Taela Hubbard, Morgan Fowble slapped a single to right to bring in Hubbard to set the score to 1-0.
• The Evangels had an opportunity to add to it in the bottom of the second when Brooklyn Wilson led off the frame with a walk and Emylee Campbell slapped a single to right to put runners at the corners. However, MACU ran into two unfortunate outs when Campbell was thrown out at second trying to advance on the throw back into the infield before Wilson was thrown out at home trying to score on Karlee Danielson's ground ball to the third baseman.
• The Drovers threatened to tie it in the bottom of the second when Jadyn Goucher reached on a lead-off walk, stole second and got down to third on a sacrifice bunt with one out. However, MACU starting pitcher Rachel Eggleston left the runner stranded by inducing a pop out to third and a groundout to short to end the inning.
• Mid-America Christian got its second run in the top of the third as back-to-back singles by Kisbel Vizcaya and Stormy Haynes put runners at corners, setting up Talyn Wheeler with a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Vizcaya and set the score to 2-0.
• The Evangels had another great opportunity to add to their lead in the top of the fourth with back-to-back two-out singles by Campbell and Danielson followed by a wild pitch put both runners in scoring position. However, USAO starting pitcher Jayden Anderson managed to strikeout Hallie Wilson to end the threat.
• In the bottom of the fourth, USAO put together a crooked five-run inning as the Evangels struggled to slow down the Drovers' utilization of small ball to grab a 5-2 advantage.
• The Drovers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to stretch their lead out to 7-2.
• Campbell and Danielson each finished with multi-hit games by going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles each.
• Fowble and Wheeler notched MACU's lone RBIs as Fowble finished 1-for-3 with an RBI single while Wheeler batted 1-for-2 with an RBI sac fly.
• By forcing the split, the Evangels and Drovers have split the last three doubleheaders that the two teams have faced each other in.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will close out the series on Saturday as the Evangels will battle the Drovers with a doubleheader starting at noon at Bill Smith Ballpark.