MOORE, Okla. – A potent 1-2 pitching punch from the Oklahoma Panhandle State University softball team paved the way for a Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep at Mid-America Christian University (MACU) to open the four-game series. The Aggies (17-13, 8-10 SAC) topped the Evangels (13-8, 8-6 SAC) by scores of 5-3 and 4-2.
Panhandle State pitchers
Kaylor Battiest and
Lindsay Jacobs combined for 21 strikeouts in the two victories. Battiest struck out 12 MACU batters in her complete game win. Jacobs had nine "K's" in 6.2 innings of work on the game-two win.
In game one, Battiest (6-6) scattered eight hits. Her only trouble spot came in the fourth inning. After issuing two walks – her only two base on balls of the game – Battiest allowed a three-run home run that erased the Aggies' 2-0 advantage.
Jewell Lee tallied both of OPSU's runs in the first and third innings. In the first, a
Jena Konieczka single plated Jewell, who had reached on a walk to open the game. Lee again walked to lead off the third and eventually crossed the plate on a
Kayli Grove RBI single that made it 2-0.
Down 3-2 after the Evangels' fourth frame homer, Panhandle evened the score in the top of the sixth when
Chrislyn Dovers drew a bases-loaded walk, forcing home Grove with the equalizer. In the seventh,
Karah Ortiz scored what would prove to be the winning run, scoring from first base on a
Brittany Thomas single down the leftfield line and an error in the outfield. OPSU added a run on a Konieczka single that brought home Thomas to make it the 5-3 score.
At the dish, Konieczka finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI. Lee was 1-for-2, scoring twice, and reaching base three times to lead off an inning.
Jacobs and MACU's McKenzie Smith dueled for three scoreless innings before the Aggies broke through in the top of the fourth. With one out, Grove was hit by a pitch, went to second on Konieczka's single and came around to score on a fielding error. Konieczka ended up on third after the error.
Brissa Rivera singled to left-center field to drive home Konieczka for the 2-0 lead.
MACU got a run back in their half of the fourth to make it 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, Panhandle State created some breathing room. With bases loaded, Dovers again drew an RBI walk. A few minutes later, Rivera came home on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jacobs retired the first two MACU batters. However, two singles and a walk resulted in a run for the Evangels, drawing them to two, with the winning runs at the plate.
OPSU Head Coach
Meghan Mulcahy summoned Battiest to try to get the final out. Battiest hit the first batter she faced to load the bases. However, she then got MACU's Hanna Harris to fly out to left for the final out and put the sweep in the Aggies' column.
Thomas was 3-for-3 in game two. Ortiz was 2-for-4.
Jacobs threw an outstanding game, allowing five hits and the two earned runs. Battiest earned her fifth save of the year.
The same two teams will close out the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
