Softball | 3/26/2019 3:42:00 PM
Goodwell, Okla. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University's softball team will continue its tough stretch of games this week. The Aggies play a mid-week doubleheader at the NAIA's No. 1-ranked team University of Science and Arts (Oklahoma) on Wednesday March 27 (5p.m.), as well as a four-game series at Mid-America Christian University on Friday and Saturday (March 29/2 p.m. and March 30/12 p.m.).
After this week's games, OPSU will have played three of the SAC's top four teams in an eight-day span, including the Nos. 1 and 2-ranked teams in the NAIA.
Links for all the games can be found via: opsuaggies.com.
GAME NOTES:
*SCOUTING THE DROVERS: USAO (26-0, 13-0 SAC) is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation for the NAIA, as well as sitting atop the SAC standings. The Drovers' pitching staff sports a 1.77 ERA as a group, while the USAO batters have run up a .406 team batting average. Rhylee Vandiver tops the Drovers with a .583 batting average. Pitcher Emily Cerny has an 8-0 record and a 0.61 ERA, registering 85 strikeouts to 15 walks.
*SCOUTING THE EVANGELS: Mid-America Christian University (11-7, 6-5 SAC) currently sit in fourth place in the SAC standings. The Evangels have won four of their last six games, including coming off of a doubleheader split at Texas Wesleyan (w. 7-6; l. 2-11) last Saturday.
*AGGIES AT-A-GLANCE: OPSU (15-11, 6-8 SAC) went 3-3 last week. The Aggies took three-of-four from Langston University, but lost a twinbill to NAIA No. 2-ranked Oklahoma City University on Monday.
*LAST TIME OUT FOR THE AGGIES: OPSU was swept by Oklahoma City University, 11-2 and 12-0 on Monday. In the first contest of the afternoon, the Aggies found themselves ahead of OCU after two innings, thanks to some patience at the plate.
Jena Konieczka drew a walk to open the inning and, with one out, catcher
Haley Neal had an infield single with Konieczka stopping at second.
Chrislyn Dovers laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position.
That's where OPSU's discernment at the plate began to pay dividends, as Abby Grtegory also drew a walk to load the bases. Stars' starter Jaden Shores continued to struggle, walking
Jewell Lee to force in a run and even the score. Shores then went to 2-0 on
Karah Ortiz when she was lifted in favor of Kylie Dodson. Dodson completed the walk to Ortiz – which was charged to Shores – that put the Aggies ahead, 2-1. But the advantage was short-lived, as OCU erupted for eight runs in the top of the third and two more in the top of the fourth to seal the win.
Game two was all Stars, as the visitors kept the Panhandle bats at bay.
Kayli Grove collected two (2-for-2) of her team's five hits in the second game. She also had the Aggies' only extra-base hit with a one-out double in the second frame.
*IN THE BIG INNING…: The Aggies' softball team's favorite verse from the Bible might well be Genesis 1:1, because "In the beginning," the OPSU squad had big innings versus Langston. In the first innings alone, the Aggies tallied 18 runs in the four games of the series.
*I'LL SECOND THAT: In the second inning of its 29-2 win over Langston in game #2 of the series, the Aggies scored 15 runs in the frame and sent a total of 20 batters to the plate.
*BIG BATS: Five OPSU players –
Brittany Thomas (.460), Jena Konciezka (.392),
Jaylinn Reyes (.391),
Jewell Lee (.385 and
Karah Ortiz (.375) – are all hitting .375 or better.
*STRONG WITH THE LEATHER: OPSU's Kayor Battiest is listed among the NAIA players nation-wide who have both met the statistical minimum and have yet to make a fielding error in 2019.
*CROWN JEWELL: Sophomore
Jewell Lee can be found prominently in the SAC softball statistics. Lee is among the leaders for: At-Bats per Game (#4/3.50); Total At-Bats (t.#4/91); Batting Average (#19/.385); Runs Scored per Game (#8/1.04); Total Runs Scored (t.#9/27); Hits per Game (#8/1.35); Total Hits (t. #7/35); Doubles per Game (t. #13/0.23); Total Doubles (t.#11/6); Triples per Game (t. #15/0.08); Total Triples (t.#8/2); Total Bases per Game (t.#11/1.85), and; Total Bases (#10/48)
*TRIPLES THREAT: The Aggies, as a team, have run their way to 13 triples. OPSU ranks #6 in the NAIA for Total Triples.
*AGGIES' TEAM IN THE SAC STATS: The Aggies rank among the SAC leaders in: Batting Average (3/.341); RBI/Game (3/6.04); Slugging Percentage (3/.476); Runs Scored/Game (3/6.85); Hits/Game (3/9.23); Doubles/Game (3/1.50); Triples/Game (1/0.50); Home Runs/Game (5/0.39); At-Bats/Game (4/27.08); Fielding Percentage (4/.954); and Batters Struck Out (3/125).
*CENTURY MARK FOR MEGHAN: OPSU Head Coach
Meghan Mulcahy recorded her 100th career coaching victory in the first game of the Feb. 21 DH versus Southwestern Christian (won by the Aggies, 2-1, in eight innings).
*QUICK START: The Aggies 4-0 start to 2019 matched the best beginning to a season in Coach Mulcahy's six years at the OPSU helm. The team also accomplished that feat in 2017.
*"K" LEADER: Kaylor Battiest has rolled up 74 strikeouts from the circle in 2019.
