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Box Score 2 KINGSVILLE, Texas (March 19, 2018) – Oklahoma Christian didn't solve its offensive issues on Monday at Texas A&M-Kingsville, scoring only two runs in a doubleheader, but the Lady Eagles still came away with a split at Hubert Field.
OC took advantage of two TAMUK errors in the sixth inning to score the lone run in a 1-0 win in the opener, but despite eight hits in the second game, the Lady Eagles fell 3-1 in the second game, leaving both softball teams with identical 16-16 season records.
OC had only two hits in the opener against TAMUK starter Breanna Smith (10-9), who was locked in a scoreless duel with OC's
Kaylie Upton (9-2) through five innings. But the Lady Eagles caught a break when
Sheridan Fuller reached on an error to start the top of the sixth.
Madison Nordyke's bunt moved Fuller to second base and a fly ball by
Bailey Strecker sent Fuller to third before an error on TAMUK catcher Roxy Chapa allowed Fuller to score.
The Javelinas put two runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings against OC reliever
Madison Hagood, but the flame-throwing left-hander escaped both jams to post her sixth save of the season, tops among Heartland Conference pitchers.
TAMUK took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the second game, when Loren Kelly reached on an infield single off Hagood (4-9) and eventually scored on an error. The Javelinas went up 2-0 in the fourth on a RBI single up the middle by Rachael Longoria.
The Lady Eagles had at least one hit in each of the first six innings, but their only run came in the fifth. Fuller reached on a one-out infield single and went to third base on a throwing error by TAMUK pitcher Sarah Gilbert (7-5).
Bridget White's groundout scored Fuller, but Nordyke – who reached on the error – was stranded at third.
The Javelinas responded with a run in the bottom of the inning, with Kelly doubling to left field and scoring on a single up the middle by Anastasia Leibas. OC put two runners on with one out in the sixth inning, but Gilbert struck out the next two batters. She finished the game with seven strikeouts.
OC will continue its 16-game road stretch on Friday, when they will open a three-game Heartland series at St. Edward's (Texas) in Austin with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
