CHICKASHA, Okla. – The MACU Softball team spoiled No. 7 Science & Arts' Senior Night at Bill Smith Ballpark on Friday night as the Evangels snapped the Drovers' 23-game win streak with a 1-0 win to bounce back from a 5-0 defeat in the opener.
 
GAME ONE
SCORE

• Science & Arts 5, Mid-America Christian 0
  • Mid-America Christian (20-22, 18-15 SAC)
  • Science & Arts (42-7, 31-2 SAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Aubree Ferguson (21-2)
• Loss: Nyssa Dunn (4-7)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Dakota Watson – 2-3
• Heidi Noisey – 2-3
• Serena Rodriguez – 1-3
• Emmerson Dickinson – 3 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 3 BB

SCORING SUMMARY

• BTM 1^st – USAO – Malea McMurtrey singled to left, RBI; Kinzie Williams scored – USAO 1, MACU 0
• BTM 1^st – USAO – Maddy Baber doubled to right, RBI; Malea McMurtrey scored – USAO 2, MACU 0
• BTM 3^rd – USAO – Leighanne Eaton grounded out to 2b, RBI; Kinzie Williams scored – USAO 3, MACU 0
• BTM 3^rd – USAO – Lilyana Portillo grounded out to 1b, RBI; Malea McMurtrey scored – USAO 4, MACU 0
• BTM 5^th – USAO – Leighanne Eaton grounded out to 3b, RBI; Jordan Ramsey scored – USAO 4, MACU 0

GAME SUMMARY

• Science & Arts utilized its speed in the bottom of the first as Kinzie Williams started it off with a walk and stole second before Malea McMurtrey hit an RBI single to left before Maddy Baber hammered a two-out double to right to give USAO the 2-0 advantage.
• Mid-America Christian put together its biggest threat of the contest in the top of the third, getting a pair of singles off the bats of Dakota Watson and Serena Rodriguez while Taylor Martinez and Mia Macias drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Unfortunately, Watson was thrown out earlier in the frame trying to steal second while USAO ace Aubree Ferguson got Kayten Herman to pop out with the bases juiced to end the threat.
• Williams led off the bottom of the third with a single to left and McMurtrey drew a walk before both runners stole a base to put runners at second and third with no outs. The Drovers drove each runner in on back-to-back RBI groundouts by Leighanne Eaton and Lilyana Portillo to extend the edge to 4-0.
• The Drovers notched another RBI grounder in the fifth when Jordan Ramsey drew a leadoff walk, stole second and ended up at third on a groundout before scoring on Eaton's groundball to third.
• MACU tried to threaten in the sixth with Herman drawing a two-out walk and Heidi Noisey smacking her second single to left, but the Evangels were unable to drive in either runner home.
• The Drovers narrowly missed adding more insurance in the sixth as Taylor Cronic hit a two-out double to left and Ramsey smacked a single through the left side to put runners at the corners before stealing second, but Emmerson Dickinson got out of the jam by inducing a fielder's choice groundout to third.

GAME NOTES

• Science & Arts scored its five runs on five hits while the Evangels also tallied five hits.
• One of the biggest factors in the contest was the Drovers drawing walks and stealing bases, as USAO drew five walks and stole eight bases while MACU drew four free passes, but were unable to take any bags.
• Dakota Watson and Heidi Noisey led MACU's batting efforts with both hitters going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles while Serena Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 with a single as well.
• Nyssa Dunn suffered the loss in the circle after throwing three innings before Emmerson Dickinson tossed three solid innings of relief, allowing only one earned run on two hits with three walks.

GAME TWO
SCORE

• Mid-America Christian 1, Science & Arts 0
  • Mid-America Christian (21-22, 19-15 SAC)
  • Science & Arts (42-8, 31-3 SAC)

PITCHING DECISIONS

• Win: Gia Reynosa (7-4)
• Loss: Jayden Anderson (10-1)

TOP PERFORMERS

• Gia Reynosa – W, CG, SHO, 7 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 8 SO; 1-3
• Serena Rodriguez – 2-3, 2B, R
• Dakota Watson – 1-2, RBI
• Heidi Noisey – 2-3, 2B

SCORING SUMMARY

• TOP 6^th – MACU – Dakota Watson singled to right, RBI; Serena Rodriguez scored – MACU 1, USAO 0

GAME SUMMARY

• While both teams sparingly put runners in scoring position through the first three innings, the Evangels put together the first major threat when Serena Rodriguez led off the fourth with a single to right and was moved down to second on Dakota Watson's sac bunt, but she was thrown out trying to get to third on a bang-bang play by the left fielder coming in to cover the bag.
• MACU managed to get the leadoff hitter aboard in the top of the fifth with Heidi Noisey slapping a single up the middle and got to second on a groundout to the circle. However, the Evangels left her stranded after USAO starter Jayden Anderson induced a flyout to left and a strikeout.
• With two outs in the top of the sixth, the Evangels broke through in a big way as Rodriguez legged out a double hit perfectly into the left-center field gap before Dakota Watson perfectly dropped a Texas Leaguer single into shallow right-center, giving MACU the only score of the game.
• MACU did have a chance to add an insurance run when Noisey started off the seventh with a double to left, but she got caught in a run down on Madison Schroeder's groundout as the double play snapped the opportunity to add some insurance.
• The Drovers tried to threaten in the bottom of the seventh when Lilyana Portillo slapped a leadoff single to right and pinch-runner Jordan Ramsey stole second with no outs. However, MACU starting pitcher Gia Reynosa came up huge by striking out the reigning SAC Player of the Week Maddy Baber and Maveryck Lightfoot and Jadyn Goucher to ground out in back-to-back at-bats to seal the 1-0 victory.

GAME NOTES

• Mid-America Christian scored its one run on six hits while the Drovers finished with four hits.
• Gia Reynosa put together her best start of the season, tossing her second complete game shutout, allowing only four hits, all of which were singles and no walks while striking out a season-high eight batters.
• With her sixth complete game shutout, Reynosa joined Morgan Wardlow (2016-17) and Jill Willbanks (2010-11) for fourth in MACU's NAIA Era (2007-Present) for career shutouts. Her 19^th career win also moved her into a tie for ninth in MACU's record book.
• Serena Rodriguez and Heidi Noisey each finished with two-hit games, each slashing 2-for-3 with a double while Rodriguez scored the winning run.
• Dakota Watson continued to stay hot from the plate, notching the lone RBI after going 1-for-2.
• By getting the victory, MACU handed the Drovers their first loss since No. 9 Our Lady of the Lake defeated USAO 7-2 on Mar. 17 in non-conference action.
• By getting the win and Oklahoma Panhandle State splitting a doubleheader with Wayland Baptist, the Evangels have locked up no worse than fifth in the upcoming Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament. The Evangels currently sit a game ahead of Southwestern Christian in fourth and only a game back of Texas Wesleyan in third.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will wrap-up the regular season on Saturday against Science & Arts with first pitch taking place at noon at Bill Smith Ballpark.