Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 20, 2016) – Oklahoma Christian fell into a pair of first-inning holes and couldn't quite climb out while dropping softball games to Central Oklahoma and host St. Mary's (Texas) on Saturday in the Rattler Invitational.
UCO completed a three-game season sweep of OC with a 4-3 win in the first game, while No. 12 St. Mary's held off a rally by the Lady Eagles to prevail 11-6.
OC (4-9) lost to UCO (11-2) on the season's opening weekend at an event in Durant, Okla., then again last week in a single game played at UCO. The Bronchos jumped ahead Saturday with three first-inning runs against OC starter
Madison Nordyke (1-4), taking advantage of a walk, two hit batsmen and an error to go with two hits in the inning.
Haley Squier walked and scored in the fourth to pull OC within 3-1. Ashton Smith homered for UCO in the top of the fifth to make it 4-1, but OC answered with a run in the bottom of the inning and another in the sixth, when
Kelsie Finch scored on a fielder's choice groundout by
Sheridan Bond.
Squier singled with two outs in the seventh but was stranded when UCO reliever Nicole Brady retired
Bridget White on a ground ball to third base. Brady picked up her first save, while reliever Mo Selman (3-2) earned the pitching win for the Bronchos.
Nordyke pitched a complete game for the Lady Eagles, allowing six hits.
Niki Davidson's RBI single in the first gave OC an early lead against St. Mary's (11-5), but the Rattlers went up 4-1 in the bottom of the inning thanks in good part to a three-run homer by Sydney Wellmann.
St. Mary's added a run in the second and two more in the third off OC starter
Kaylie Upton (1-2) to make it 7-1.
Davidson added another run-scoring single in the fourth and Squier followed with a two-run single to center field to cut the OC deficit to 7-4. Olivia Van Hook's triple scored Wellmann in the bottom of the inning, making it 8-4 for the Rattlers, and Kristal Salinas' solo homer highlighted a three-run fifth as St. Mary's extended its lead to 11-4.
Squier capped a 3-for-3, three-RBI performance with a run-scoring infield single during a two-run sixth that made it 11-6, but the Lady Eagles couldn't close the gap any further.
Davidson went 3-for-4 for the Lady Eagles while White was 2-for-3.
Reliever Hope Russell (3-1) picked up the pitching win for St. Mary's.
OC will complete the event on Sunday with a game against No. 10 Tarleton State (Texas).
