Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OKLAHOMA CITY (March 1, 2018) – Oklahoma Christian needed someone to deliver a clutch hit and newcomer Hunter Strickland answered the call on Thursday afternoon against Texas A&M International.

The junior-college transfer's two-run triple keyed a three-run fourth inning that lifted the Lady Eagles to a 5-3 win over TAMIU and gave them a split of their doubleheader at Tom Heath Field. TAMIU scored a seventh-inning run to take the first game 5-4.

For the second straight doubleheader, OC (10-9, 2-2 Heartland Conference) dropped the opener of a league doubleheader, only to bounce back in the second game.

Kaylie Upton's single to center field scored Kayla Eichler to put OC up 1-0 in the second game, but TAMIU (6-16, 3-1) tied the game in the third.

In the fourth, Sheridan Fuller drew a one-out walk from TAMIU starter Delainy Thompson (2-7) and Lacey Davidson reach on an error. With two outs, the speedy Strickland tripled to right field to put the Lady Eagles up 3-1 and Strickland scored on a single by Madison Nordyke.

The Dustdevils rallied with two fifth-inning runs off OC starter Madison Hagood (3-3) – both scoring on a single by Melanie Gamboa – but OC added an insurance run in the sixth on another run-scoring single by Nordyke, although the Lady Eagles left the bases loaded.

Upton pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing no hits, to record her first save of the softball season.

OC built a 2-0 lead in the first game, with Upton delivering a RBI single in the first and Eichler singling and scoring on an error in the third. But TAMIU poured it on during a four-run fourth inning, taking advantage of two OC errors and a two-run, two-out single by Samantha Edmiston.

The Lady Eagles scratched back to tie the game, with Fuller tripling and scoring on Daelyn Denny's groundout in the fourth and Strickland reaching on an infield single and scoring on a single by Eichler in the sixth off reliever Melanie Lint (2-5).

But Cassie Cannon doubled off Nordyke (1-5) to lead off the top of the seventh and scored on a groundout by Maddison Schofield, putting the Dustdevils back ahead. OC threatened in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runners on with one out, but Lint coaxed a fly ball from Davidson and struck out Denny to end the game.

OC will play another crucial Heartland doubleheader at home on Saturday, when perennial league power St. Mary's (Texas) will visit Tom Heath Field. The first game will start at noon.