Box Score LUBBOCK, Texas (April 14, 2018) – What began as a potentially special softball game for Oklahoma Christian turned into a finish the Lady Eagles would like to forget on Saturday afternoon at Lubbock Christian (Texas).
OC led by four runs and carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but Lubbock Christian exploded for eight runs in its final two at-bats to beat the Lady Eagles 10-6 at PlainsCapital Park to sweep the three-game series between the Heartland Conference foes.
OC (25-22, 14-10 Heartland) is now 1½ games behind third-place Texas A&M International in the conference standings, while Lubbock Christian (27-11, 16-8) moved within a game of league-leading St. Mary's (Texas).
The Lady Eagles seized an early 4-1 lead in the second inning on a three-run double to left-center field by
Madison Nordyke in the second inning, and while the Chaparrals scored a second run without the aid of a hit in the fourth, OC extended its lead to 6-2 in the fifth.
Kaylie Upton started the game in the circle for OC, with Nordyke taking over with one out in the third and
Madison Hagood with one out in the fourth. The trio held Lubbock Christian's powerful offense without a hit until the fifth.
With one out in the fifth, Upton moved back to pitcher after Lubbock Christian drew two walks. One out later, the Chaparrals had loaded the bases – still without a hit – and then Sara Ralston drew a bases-loaded walk to pull them within 6-3. Courtney Medina followed with a single up the middle that scored two runs, making it 6-5.
Nordyke (5-7) went back into the circle to start the sixth and hit a batter and walked another before K.K. Lopez-Lui hit a three-run homer to put the Chaparrals ahead. Later in the inning, Medina hit another two-run single off Upton to make it 10-6.
Lubbock Christian finished the game with only four hits, but with 11 walks and three hit batsmen. LCU's starter, Monique Francois (20-3), was the beneficiary, going the distance in the circle for the Chaparrals.
OC will visit St. Mary's next Friday and Saturday for another critical conference series.
