Game one box
Game two box

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (April 28, 2008) – The Oklahoma Christian University softball team beat No. 11 Rogers State University (Okla.) 5-1 and 5-4 on Monday.

The sweep gives Oklahoma Christian a 30-win season for the first time since 2003 (31-13) at 30-21. The game also marked the final home game for three Lady Eagle seniors: Sandra Darmstadt, Allissa Hejl and Rachel Smith.

The Lady Eagles are also back to the .500 mark in the Sooner Athletic Conference at 12-12 heading into Tuesday's twinbill at Northwestern Oklahoma State. OC and NWOSU are currently tied for fifth with identical 12-12 SAC records.

Monday's series featured crucial SAC and NAIA Region VI implications. The Lady Eagles could be as high as a No. 4 seed at the upcoming SAC Tournament, held at Oklahoma City's ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on May 2-3.

In game one, OC took a 2-0 in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. RSU (40-14, 14-11) committed four errors in the inning, resulting in two unearned runs.

Amy Urbanovsky knocked in Christin Dobbs via a fielder's choice for the first score. Then Deidre Chatigny made it all the way home on an error by the third baseman.

The Hillcats got one back in the third, but a three-run Lady Eagle fourth pushed the lead to 5-1.

Consecutive doubles from Smith and Casey Brady started the inning to make it 3-1. Dobbs then singled in Brady before Tracy Washam ripped a single down the right-field line to plate Dobbs and make it 5-1.

Linzi Farris put zeros on the board the rest of the way to improve to 12-8 on the season. The 12 wins are a career high for the junior who went the distance in the first game, allowing one run on five hits while striking out five.

Dobbs was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Chatigny (1-for-2), Washam (1-for-4), Smith (1-for-3) and Brady (1-for-3) had the rest of OC's six hits in the game.

Game two was a much tighter affair, as the game was tied 2-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning.

But that is when a two-run Lady Eagle frame put OC on top for good.

With runners on the corners and one out, Smith laced a hot shot off the first baseman's glove, sending the go-ahead run home in Urbanovsky.

Then two batters later with the bases loaded, Tiffany Sherman roped a ball off the pitcher that scored Darmstadt to make it 4-2.

The pesky Hillcats scored once in the top of the sixth on a Randi Tyler home run to narrow the gap to 4-3.

Then in OC's half, Darmstadt ripped her first triple of the season on a tailing liner into the right-center field gap to plate Washam and make it 5-3.

A double steal play with runners on the corners gave RSU one more run in the top of the seventh. But Sophia Johnson got Marie Gaudet to bounce out to Smith at third to end the game.

Caitlin Matthies improved to 12-6 on the year with a 5 1/3-inning effort. The freshman gave up three runs (two earned) and walked just one. Johnson recorded the final five outs of the game for her second save.

Washam led the way at the plate at 3-for-4 with a run and RBI. Darmstadt (2-for-4) also had a multi-hit game.

Tomorrow's games against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva have been moved to 4 p.m. OC beat NWOSU 6-4 on April 18 at the Capital City Classic.

-OC-