Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 25, 2018) – About 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, things felt bleak for Oklahoma Christian's softball team, as the Lady Eagles had just been thumped 11-0 by Heartland Conference rival Lubbock Christian (Texas) in the first game of a doubleheader.

Two hours later, the atmosphere had turned 180 degrees. Not deterred by the lopsided loss, the Lady Eagles forcefully rebounded to rout the Chaparrals 9-0 in the second game at Tom Heath Field.

Kaylie Upton tossed a two-hit shutout, Bridget White and Lacey Davidson both homered and freshman Daelyn Denny added a key hit and a game-ending double play to give OC (9-8, 1-1 Heartland) a measure of satisfaction after falling in the opener to Lubbock Christian (9-4, 3-1).

"I told the team after I came in from the second game, 'An hour and a half ago, this team wasn't the same.' We got thumped and got beat bad by Lubbock," OC coach Tom Heath said. "But we bounced back. Kaylie Upton threw a fantastic game and our bats came alive. … It was a great win for our softball team."

Lubbock Christian dominated the opener, starting with a leadoff triple in the first inning by Courtney Medina. Sydney Beuthien went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, four runs scored and a two-run home run in the fourth inning, while Morgan Dufour added a three-run homer in the fifth off OC starter Madison Hagood (2-3).

LCU starter Monique Francois (6-1) scattered five hits in the complete-game shutout, which ended after five innings due to the run rule.

The second game was a complete reversal of the first. Upton was masterful in the circle, keeping the shutout intact by keeping LCU runners at third base in the first, third and fourth innings. Upton also delivered a run-scoring triple off LCU starter Clarissa Martinez (2-2) during a four-run third inning that broke the game open for OC.

"It is very, very hard to shut out Lubbock," Heath said. "She shut them out for five innings, with the help of some defense. She just did a great job. Pitching and defense were good."

With OC leading 3-0 and two outs in the third, Heath used Denny as a pinch-hitter and she smoked a line-drive single to right-center field to score Madison Nordyke and Davidson.

OC added four more runs in the fourth, as White and Davidson each hit a two-run home run. LCU put its first two runners on in the fifth, but Upton fanned Beuthien before Dufour hit a sinking line drive to left field which Denny raced to catch just inches off the ground. Denny then fired to second base to double off Medina to finish off the double play.

"She came through in a big way today," Heath said of Denny. "She's a freshman and she's learning. College ball is different from high school. She came from a very good high school program and summer team as well. She listens well and she's a hard worker. She wants to improve. I was proud of her."

The doubleheader started a busy stretch for OC, during which the Lady Eagles will play 10 games in nine days – eight of those games coming against Heartland opponents.

"All of those conference doubleheaders are big," Heath said. "We're focusing right now on the conference."

Tom Heath discusses the game: https://youtu.be/TbjYMb4_jJk 

Game highlights: https://youtu.be/LicIeJEnKTY