Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 OKLAHOMA CITY (April 5, 2018) – Playing at home for the first time in a month, there was an obvious comfort factor for Oklahoma Christian on Thursday against Newman (Kan.), as evidenced by the fact that nearly everything worked for the Lady Eagles.

OC rolled up 24 hits – led by a 5-for-5 performance by Bailey Strecker – and picked up a three-hit shutout in the circle from Madison Hagood while sweeping the Jets 8-4 and 8-0 at Tom Heath Field.

The two wins moved OC (23-18, 13-7 Heartland Conference) into second place in the league standings by percentage points with the wins over Newman (8-32, 3-18). The Lady Eagles trail league-leading St. Mary's (Texas) by 2½ games.

The hits came from up and down the lineup, as every OC player who came to bat had at least one during the two games. Bridget White went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader, while Madison Nordyke, Kayla Eichler and Kaylie Upton had three hits each. The Lady Eagles even used their outs wisely, as three runs scored on sacrifice flies.

OC did trail Newman 2-0 early in the first game, but tied the game with two runs in the second, then took a 4-2 lead with a two-run third, keyed by doubles from Nordyke and Upton off Newman starter Chantel Purcella (2-8). A triple by White was the highlight of a two-run fifth that made it 6-2.

After the Jets picked up two unearned runs in the top of the sixth, OC answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles from Sheridan Fuller and Eichler.

Upton (11-2) pitched five solid innings for OC, with Nordyke throwing the last two innings to record her third save of the softball season.

Hagood (7-9) was dominant in the second game, allowing only one walk while striking out four as Newman had just one runner advance as far as third base.

OC scored single runs in the second and third innings off Newman pitcher Bailey Bugner (2-12), thanks to an RBI double by Lacey Davidson and a run-scoring triple by Eichler.

The Lady Eagles poured it on in the fifth with six runs to finish off the run-rule win. Hunter Strickland started the inning with a triple and Upton, Strecker and Payton Sabolski each had a run-scoring double, with Sabolski's drive into right field scoring pinch-runner Jessica Killer with the game-ending run.

The teams will start the series finale at 10 a.m. Friday in an attempt to beat rain that's been forecast for the area.