Box Score SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 22, 2015) – On Oklahoma Christian's first big weekend of the softball season, the Lady Eagles proved they belong with the elite of NCAA Division II.
Facing local rival and 13th-ranked Central Oklahoma in the St. Mary's Tournament on Sunday, OC pitcher
Shea Coats threw a four-hit shutout and
Kendra Pierce delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning to lift the Lady Eagles to a 1-0 win.
The win over the 2013 Division II champion capped a 4-1 performance for OC (6-1) in the tournament, which featured top squads from the South Central and Central regions. OC went 2-1 against teams that made last year's Division II tournament field, splitting a pair with Texas Woman's before beating UCO (7-4).
Coats (4-0) dueled with UCO starter Kelsey Berlin (0-2) for much of the game, as Berlin allowed only six hits and struck out four batters, while Coats had two strikeouts and two walks.
Neither team put more than one runner on base until the fourth inning, when Pierce and
Kelsie Finch both singled for OC and reached third and second base, respectively, with two outs before Berlin escaped the jam when
Madison Nordyke popped up.
In the fifth, OC's
Sheridan Bond drew a walk with one out and
Monique Elliott followed by reaching on an error by UCO second baseman Ally Dziadula. Berlin struck out
Courtney Starr, but Pierce – who went 12-for-18 during the tournament –singled to right-center field, scoring Bond.
UCO had failed to advance a runner past second base during the first five innings before loading the bases in the sixth with two singles and a walk, but Coats coaxed a popup from Ashleigh Tramel to end the threat. The Bronchos also had two baserunners in the seventh, but Coats ended the game by getting Shelby Carel to pop up.
It was the third complete-game shutout this season for Coats, who has yet to allow an earned run in 25 2/3 innings of work. During the tournament, she recorded two wins and two saves for the Lady Eagles.
Coats was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Pierce, Starr and
Haley Squier. OC had more players on the honor squad than any other school.
OC will play a road doubleheader against another 2014 Division II tournament team, Midwestern State (Texas), on Tuesday before returning home to open Heartland Conference play on Friday against Oklahoma Panhandle State.
