LUBBOCK, Texas (Feb. 1, 2019) – For Oklahoma Christian on the opening day of the softball season, there was plenty of good pitching, with timely hits sprinkled throughout the Lady Eagles' two games.
That combination often results in wins and it did for OC on Friday, as the Lady Eagles beat Western New Mexico 6-1 and Chadron State (Neb.) 7-1 in the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff at PlainsCapital Park.
In coach
Shanon Hays' debut with OC, senior
Bridget White rolled up five RBIs and joined
Brie Dunckel and
Bailey Strecker in recording three hits each over the two games. OC's four pitchers –
Kaylie Upton,
Kali Crandall,
Madison Hagood and
Lindsey Stoeckel – combined to allow only two runs and eight hits.
Against Western New Mexico (0-1) of the Lone Star Conference, OC snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third inning when Strecker's double scored Stoeckel. OC (2-0) made it 5-1 with a three-run fourth, highlighted by doubles by
Lacey Davidson and Upton off Western New Mexico starter Jayln McClain (0-1).
Upton (1-0) gave up three hits in five innings before Hagood closed out the Mustangs with two hitless innings in the circle.
Sophomore
Daelyn Denny had two hits against Chadron State (0-1) of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, singling and scoring in the second on a single by Davidson and hitting a solo home run in the fifth. White doubled and scored in the third and hit a two-run triple in the seventh inning to put OC up 7-0.
Crandall (1-0), a freshman from Artesia, N.M., retired 10 straight batters in one stretch and allowed only one Chadron State runner to reach third base in six innings of work. Gabby Russell (0-1) took the pitching loss for Chadron State.
It was the fourth time in the last seven seasons that OC has started the season with two opening-day wins, as the Lady Eagles also did so in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
OC will play two more games Saturday, facing Lone Star foes Midwestern State (Texas) and Texas-Permian Basin at Lubbock Christian High School at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.
