Box Score AUSTIN, Texas (March 24, 2018) – Every time Oklahoma Christian thought it had put away St. Edward's (Texas) on Saturday afternoon, the Hilltoppers kept fighting back to lengthen the softball game, and then they put OC on the ropes.

But the Lady Eagles also showed some resilience, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the ninth inning, then scoring four runs in the top of the 10th to down the Hilltoppers 11-8 at Diane Daniels Field. OC won despite committing a season-high six errors.

The win gave OC (19-16, 9-7 Heartland Conference) a sweep of its three-game weekend series at St. Edward's (3-29, 3-13) and a season sweep of its five games against the Hilltoppers. OC is three games above .500 for the first time this season.

Despite 17 hits – the second-most by the Lady Eagles this season – OC had trouble distancing itself from the Hilltoppers.

OC sprinted to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings, as the Lady Eagles started the game with consecutive doubles by Sheridan Fuller and Madison Nordyke, and Hunter Strickland – who had three RBIs – delivered a run-scoring single in the first. In the second, Nordyke hit a two-run double.

But St. Edward's chipped away with single runs in the second, third and fourth innings to pull within 4-3. Kayla Eichler's solo home run in the fifth extended OC's lead to 5-3 before the Hilltoppers tied the game in the sixth with two runs, taking advantage of two errors by the Lady Eagles.

Then the fun started. OC went up 6-5 in the top of the seventh when Strickland drew a bases-loaded walk, but left the bases loaded. St. Edward's tied the game in the bottom of the inning when a run scored on a play that included two errors by the Lady Eagles.

In the eighth, Kaylie Upton singled to center field to score Lacey Davidson (who was hit by a pitch with two outs) and OC went back ahead, but again the Hilltoppers answered, with Sami Williams' two-out single scoring Kathryn Connelly.

OC stranded two baserunners during a scoreless top of the ninth. The Hilltoppers used two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Nordyke  – pitching in relief – retired the next three batters on a strikeout, short fly ball and strikeout, respectively.

Upton's RBI single in the top of the 10th started an OC cascade off St. Edward's pitcher Olivia Burdick (1-14). Strickland drove home another run with a groundout and Payton Sabolski followed with a run-scoring single. Jessica Killer had OC's final RBI on a groundout that made it 11-7.

St. Edward's didn't go down quietly, scoring a run in the bottom of the 10th, but Nordyke (5-5) retired Sara Machado on a popup to finally end the game.

OC will continue its 16-game road stretch on Tuesday with a visit to Rogers State (26-8, 11-4) for what is shaping up as a key Heartland doubleheader.