Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (April 28, 2018) – In what likely was the biggest at-bat of
Bailey Strecker's college softball career, she came through in a big way for Oklahoma Christian on Saturday afternoon against Rogers State.
Strecker's two-run single to right field keyed a four-run sixth inning as the Lady Eagles rallied for a 4-2 win over Rogers State on a sunny Senior Day at
Tom Heath Field.
The win gave the Lady Eagles a sweep of their three-game weekend series, and five-game season series, against Rogers State (35-18, 16-12 Heartland Conference). OC (30-23, 19-11) moved into second place in the final Heartland regular-season standings with the win, behind St. Mary's (Texas) (33-21, 19-9), which sealed the title with a doubleheader sweep Saturday at St. Edward's (Texas).
For five innings on Saturday, pitchers
Kaylie Upton of OC and Alex Brake of Rogers State dueled. Upton, who took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Rogers State on Friday, picked up where she left off, as the Hillcats' only hit through five innings was an infield popup that was lost in the sun by OC infielders. Brake (14-7) was equally as strong, allowing OC only two hits during that stretch.
That all changed in the sixth. Tailee Reding led off the inning for the Hillcats with a single to left field, and one out later, Danelle Day's drive barely eluded OC left fielder
Jessica Killer as it went over the left-field fence. Day's 18th homer of the season put Rogers State up 2-0.
Killer opened the bottom of the inning with a bunt single. After
Sheridan Fuller's fielder's-choice grounder,
Madison Nordyke reached on an infield single. With two outs, Upton drew a walk from Brake, who gave way to Reding in the circle.
Reding walked
Bridget White, forcing in a run. Strecker – who transferred to OC before the season from NCAA Division I Saint Louis – followed with a grounder that just eluded second baseman Katy Taylor and scooted into right field, allowing pinch-runner
Daelyn Denny and Upton to score to give OC a 3-2 lead.
Lacey Davidson hit a double over the head of right fielder Sierra Skaggs that scored White.
Left-hander
Madison Hagood (12-10), who relieved Upton after Day's homer, escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh by coaxing a groundout from Allie McFetridge to end the game.
The game was the last on
Tom Heath Field for OC's three seniors – Killer, Nordyke and Fuller.
OC likely will play Lubbock Christian (Texas) in its Heartland Conference Championship tournament opener on Thursday in San Antonio, while Rogers State – which dropped to fifth in the league standings – will face an opening game with fourth-seeded Texas A&M International, with the winner to face St. Mary's. The bracket will be officially announced on Sunday.
Softball Senior Day video:
https://youtu.be/PxZNYKquM8U
