OKLAHOMA CITY – Softball split a pair of games in Saturday afternoon's doubleheader after a narrow 3-2 loss in game one, the Evangels bounced back with a dominant 5-1 victory in game two to win the series against Oklahoma Panhandle State at Allen Field.   
 
GAME ONE

SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 2, Oklahoma Panhandle State 3
  • Mid-America Christian (19-21, 17-14 SAC)
  • Oklahoma Panhandle State (8-37, 6-25 SAC)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Marin Jacobs (6-16)
• Loss: Emmerson Dickinson (10-10)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Gia Reynosa: 4.2 IP, 2 SO, 6 H, 0 ER, 1-2, R
• Taylor Martinez: 3-3, R, RBI, 3 SB

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 1^st – OPSU – Marin Jacobs grounded out to 2b, RBI; Haley Emmerson scored – MACU 0, OPSU 1
• TOP 1^st – OPSU – Haeley Vasquez singled to LF, RBI; Gracie Lankford scored – MACU 0, OPSU 2
• BTM 1^st – MACU – Kiley Flores grounded out to 3b, RBI; Taylor Martinez scored – MACU 1, OPSU 2
• TOP 3^rd – OPSU – Haeley Vasquez singled to RF, RBI; Haley Emmerson scored – MACU 1, OPSU 3
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Taylor Martinez singled up the middle, RBI; Gia Reynosa scored – MACU 2, OPSU 3

GAME SUMMARY

• Oklahoma Panhandle State struck first in the top half of the opening inning as an error allowed runners an extra base. A ground out RBI and an RBI single scored the opening two runs for the Aggies to lead 2-0.
• The Evangels cut the deficit in half in the bottom half of the first as Taylor Martinez hit a leadoff single and advanced to third after a stolen base and a ground out. Martinez made it home from an RBI groundout by Kiley Flores.
• The Aggies scored a third in the third after three consecutive singles allowed a runner from third to score. Gia Reynosa took over duties in the circle with the bases loaded and forced a big out at home as Heidi Noisey fired it over to Kayten Herman who got a big tag out on the runner looking to score. Reynosa retired the following batter to get out of the bases loaded jam as the Evangels surrendered just one run.
• OPSU loaded the bases for the second consecutive innings with one out. However, Gia Reynosa struck out consecutive batters in the heart of the Aggies' lineup to retire the side and leave three runners on base.
• In the bottom of the fifth, MACU got a run back as once again it was Taylor Martinez in the heart of the play with a single up the middle that scored Reynosa. However, Nyssa Dunn looked to score from second and was tagged out at home as the Aggies held onto their slim 3-2 lead.
• MACU was down to its final six outs in the final two innings and was only able to get one base runner as Noisey doubled in the sixth. However, the Evangels lost the opening game of the doubleheader 3-2.

GAME NOTES

• MACU surrendered 10 hits to the Aggies and only registered two hits. The Evangels also committed a pair of costly errors as OPSU played a clean defensive game.   
• Emmerson Dickinson started in the circle and pitched 2.1 innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. However, Dickinson did record her 100^th strikeout in her freshman campaign during her two innings of work. Emmerson is 10 strikeouts away from entering the top 10 in single season strikeouts in MACU Softball history. Gia Reynosa entered in relief and pitched a shutout 4.2 innings. Reynosa allowed six hits but struck out a pair of batters and allowed zero runs. 
• Taylor Martinez had a perfect 3-3 plate appearance as she scored a run and batted one in as well. Martinez also swiped a season-high three bags. Gia Reynosa scored the second run as Kiley Flores batted her in.
• MACU saw its 10-game winning streak against OPSU come to end as the Evangels last lost to the Aggies came in extra innings in game four of the 2023 season. However, MACU still holds a 23-12 all-time record.  

 
GAME TWO

SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 5, Oklahoma Panhandle State 1
  • Mid-America Christian (20-21, 18-14 SAC)
  • Oklahoma Panhandle State (8-38, 6-26 SAC)

PITCHING DECISION

• Win: Nyssa Dunn (4-6)
• Loss: Jordan Johnson (2-16)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Nyssa Dunn: W, 7.0 IP, CG, 3 SO, 3 H, ER, R
• Serena Rodriguez: 3-3, 3B, 2 R, RBI, SB
• Kayten Herman: 2-3, SB
• Mia Macias: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – MACU – Mia Macias sacrifice bunt, RBI; Serena Rodriguez scored – MACU 1, OPSU 0
• BTM 2^nd – MACU – Kiley Flores scored on throwing error – MACU 2, OPSU 0
• BTM 2^nd – MACU – Heidi Noisey reached on an error, RBI; Nyssa Dunn scored – MACU 3, OPSU 0
• BTM 2^nd – MACU – Serena Rodriguez singled to RF, RBI; Heidi Noisey scored – MACU 4, OPSU 0
• BTM 5^th – MACU – Mia Macias doubled to LF, RBI; Serena Rodriguez scored – MACU 5, OPSU 0
• TOP 7^th – OPSU – Haeley Vasquez homered to LF, RBI – MACU 5, OPSU 1

GAME SUMMARY

• In a series where the team who scored first one thus far, game four started no different. The Evangels started with a triple from Serena Rodriguez who scored after a perfectly laid sacrifice bunt by Mia Macias for a quick 1-0 lead.
• MACU made it 4-0 through two after a defensive catastrophe by the Aggies that saw three errors resulting in three unearned runs. Nyssa Dunn's at bat forced a pair of errors to advance her to third as Kiley Flores made it home. Dunn scored on an error as Heidi Noisey reached first. Then an RBI single to right field from Rodriguez scored Noisey.
• Nyssa Dunn retired her first 14 batters and until the Aggies were finally able to get a hit in the top of the fifth inning. Dunn committed an error to allow a second runner on but came up big with a huge strikeout to close the inning and maintain the shutout.
• OPSU ended the six consecutive scoreless innings with a leadoff home run down the left field line as this was the first time this series a ball left the ballpark. However, Dunn returned to business and closed out the inning and the 5-1 win.

GAME NOTES

• MACU held a 7-3 hit advantage over OPSU. However, both teams committed a plethora of defensive errors as the Evangels had two and the Aggies committed four.
• Nyssa Dunn had herself a weekend with consecutive complete games as she threw 77 pitches and retired her 14 consecutive batters and was just seven outs away from her first no-hitter. Dunn had never thrown a complete game entering the weekend and has now recorded two. Nyssa also scored a run on the offensive side.
• Serena Rodriguez was perfect from the dish in a 3-3 outing, including a triple, two runs scored, and a run batted in. Kayten Herman also had a multi-hit game two with a 2-3 appearance. Mia Macias had a pair of RBIs as well as a double in her 1-2 outing.
• The Evangels are currently tied for fourth in Sooner Athletic Conference with an 18-14 record. MACU is tied with Southwestern Christian and holds a five-game advantage over sixth place Wayland Baptist.
• MACU restarted its winning streak against OPSU and now leads 24-12 all-time against the Aggies.    

 
UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian closes out its regular season with a short road trip down south to take on top of the Sooner Athletic Conference and No. 8 Science & Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. on Friday evening.