Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (April 20, 2017) – Oklahoma Christian's recent stretch of good fortune in extra-inning softball games ended in frustrating fashion on Thursday at Tom Heath Field.

OC jumped to a four-run lead and twice was within a strike of closing out the game in the seventh inning, but No. 19-ranked St. Mary's (Texas) rallied to tie and eventually prevailed 7-4 in 11 innings in the first game of a crucial three-game series between the Heartland Conference's top two teams.

Weather concerns led to a change in the series schedule. With a 100 percent chance of rain forecast for Friday, the teams opted to play a single game Thursday and a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. The series winner between OC (28-19, 10-6) and St. Mary's (36-11, 12-4) will have the inside track to hosting the Heartland's postseason tournament.

A win Thursday would have gone a long way toward that end for OC, which was somehow snubbed in the first set of NCAA Division II South Central Region rankings that came out Thursday. Despite being in second place in the Heartland, OC was nowhere to be found in the regional top 10, even though the Lady Eagles own season series wins over two teams in the top 10, No. 6 Texas Woman's and No. 8 Lubbock Christian (Texas).

The top eight teams in the final region rankings will receive spots in the NCAA tournament.

"It's frustrating and disappointing," OC coach Tom Heath said. "We played so well and it came down to getting a timely hit. It was two teams at the top of the conference battling it out for 11 innings. When you go 11 innings and you're playing the best of the best, it's going to be a close game like that. Opportunities came our way and we just barely missed it here and there."

The Lady Eagles failed to take advantage of numerous chances, both on defense and offense, to close out the game. St. Mary's outhit OC 14-3, but in extra innings, OC three times had a baserunner in scoring position but couldn't drive her home.

OC won the final two games of its most recent Heartland series, at St. Edward's (Texas), after dropping the opener, winning both times in overtime – 4-3 in nine innings and 1-0 in 12 innings. For a long time, it looked like the Lady Eagles would win comfortably on Thursday, taking advantage of a critical error by the Rattlers during a four-run fourth-inning outburst.

Niki Davidson gave OC a 1-0 lead with a RBI single with one out in the fourth. With two outs, St. Mary's shortstop Miranda Medina threw away a ground ball by OC's Kayla Eichler and Kaylie Upton made the Rattlers pay for that mistake with a two-run triple off St. Mary's starter Jorden Russell. Reliever Ashley Mills came in and promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing Upton to score.

But Mills (11-2) settled down and pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while overcoming five walks. OC failed to drive home pinch-runner Kenysha Noland from third base in the fifth inning with what would have been a critical insurance run.

The Rattlers broke through against OC starter Madison Hagood in the sixth for two runs, with Kristal Salinas' triple to center the big blow. Hagood retired the first two batters in the seventh, but Alessandra Ortiz and Olivia Van Hook both singled and Alena Moreno followed with a two-run double left-center field to tie the game.

Madison Nordyke (6-6) entered in relief and retired Hannah Michel to end the inning, but the Lady Eagles didn't score the rest of the way, despite numerous opportunities. OC had runners at second and third base with one out in the eighth, but Nordyke was thrown out trying to score on a ground ball by Eichler and Upton fouled out. In the ninth, Nordyke walked and stole second base with one out, but was stranded.

The Rattlers scored three runs in the top of the 11th, one on a single to left field by Moreno and two on a home run by pinch-hitter Alyssa Moscot. Russell re-entered the circle for St. Mary's at that point and retired OC in order for her first save of the season.

Now, if the Lady Eagles want to host the conference tournament, they'll have to beat a tough team twice in a row.

"We're going to come back Saturday and we know what we need to do," Heath said. "We're going to hit tomorrow. We'll be ready to go."