Softball | 4/13/2019 9:43:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  
McPherson, Kan. – Oklahoma Panhandle State University softball split its Saturday doubleheader with Central Christian College, to win three-of-four games in the weekend series. The Aggies (22-16, 13-13 SAC) lost the first game of the day, 6-3, then bounced back for a 6-5 win in the series finale.
 
Despite out-hitting the Tigers, 13-8, in the game, three Aggie errors proved costly. Pitcher Kaylor Battiest (12-8) took the loss, tossing her 13th complete game of the year. Battiest struck out four, but allowed six walks and eight hits. Two of the six runs allowed by Battiest were unearned.
 
Catcher Haley Neal led the Aggies, going 3-for-3, all singles. Teammate Karah Ortiz was 3-for-4, also slapping three singles.
 
Jaylinn Reyes was 2-for-4 and scored twice. Jena Konieczka was also 2-for-4 and drove in a run.  Brissa Rivera and Kayli Grove each went 1-for-3 for game one. Rivera and Grove each had an RBI.  Konieczka, Rivera and Grove each had a double for OPSU's only extra-base hits.
 
In game two, Panhandle State found itself down 4-0. But in the top of the fifth, the Aggies' bats came to life to the tune of six runs.
 
Lindsey Harris drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a ground out. Brittany Thomas single to left and, when the ball was misplayed, Harris scored. With Abby Gregory at the plate, Thomas went to second on a wild pitch and third on a fielder's choice, scoring on a throwing error, and with Gregory taking second, 4-2.
 
Konieczka's single loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly by Rivera made it 4-3 as Gregory trotted home. Neal was then safe on a fielding error to load the bases once again. Chrislyn Dovers drew a walk to force home the tying run.
 
Head Coach Meghan Mulcahy then rolled the dice. Konieczka stole home for the Aggies' fifth run, with both runner on base also advancing. A wild pitch allowed Neal to come home before Harris struck out to end the OPSU uprising, now taking a 6-4 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Jacobs (9-7) got the first out but then gave up a home run that cut Panhandle's advantage to a single run, 6-5. Mulcahy then brought in Battiest to close out the fifth, as well as throw scoreless sixth and seventh frames to earn her NAIA nation-leading eighth save.
 
Grove was 2-for-4 with an RBI. In all, OPSU amassed nine hits, compared to eight by the Tigers.
 
Panhandle State will close out its road trip with a Monday doubleheader in Moore, Okla., versus Mid-America Christian University.