OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Panhandle State softball team (8-38, 6-26 SAC) pitched well Saturday at Mid-America Christian University (20-21, 18-14), where it won the series' third game, 3-2, before falling in the finale, 5-1.
 
Haeley Vasquez had a strong day at the plate, going 4-for-7 with a homer and double, while starting pitchers Marin Jacobs and Jordan Johnson both tossed complete games and allowed just two earned runs apiece.
 
Game 1: Haley Emmerson walked and the Evangels committed an error in the opening frame, allowing the Aggies to plate a pair on Jacobs' RBI groundout and Vasqeuz' RBI single.
 
OPSU's 2-0 lead was cut in half in the bottom of the first, but Vasquez increased the edge back to two in the third frame by poking a single the other way to Emmerson.
 
The Aggies retained a 3-1 advantage until the fifth, when a trio of singles from the hosts tightened the game to 3-2.
 
Defense and pitching carried Panhandle State to its one-run victory, featuring a 6-4-3 double play in the sixth and three consecutive groundouts induced by Jacobs (6-16) in the seventh that ended the contest.
 
Game 2: A triple and a sac bunt gave the Evangels an early 1-0 edge in the finale, and they tacked on three unearned with the help of three Aggie miscues in the second, bringing the score to 4-0.
 
MACU made it 5-0 in the fifth, and OPSU's lone run came via Vasquez' home run -- the 10th of her Aggie career -- to lead off the seventh frame.
 
What's up next: OPSU returns home for the finale regular season series of the year, set for Friday and Saturday versus Wayland Baptist.