LUBBOCK, Texas (April 16, 2019) – In a twist, it was Oklahoma Christian slugging the majority of home runs at PlainsCapital Park on Tuesday, not host Lubbock Christian (Texas). But even four homers were enough only for a split of a key Heartland Conference softball doubleheader.
OC hit three home runs in the opener before Lubbock Christian rallied for an 8-5 win, but
Daelyn Denny's two-run homer keyed a three-run fifth inning that lifted the Eagles to a 6-5 win in the second game.
OC (30-12, 14-9) remained in third place in the Heartland standings behind Rogers State and St. Mary's (Texas), which are tied with 16-9 league records. OC will host Rogers State on Thursday for a doubleheader and still must play three games against the Hillcats in Claremore to close the regular season.
The Eagles took the season series against Lubbock Christian (28-15, 15-12) three games to two. OC is coached by
Shanon Hays while his brother, Daren Hays, coaches the Chaparrals.
In the opener,
Lindsey Stoeckel,
Lacey Davidson and
Sierra Schultz each hit a solo home run for OC, in the second, third and fourth innings, respectively. But Megan Darling hit a three-run double for the Chaparrals in the third and Lindzi Clemmer hit a three-run homer off OC starter
Kali Crandall (10-4) in the fourth to give Lubbock Christian a 6-3 lead.
The Eagles used two errors by Lubbock Christian to score twice in the top of the fifth, but the Chaparrals answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to seal the win. Lubbock Christian starter Jordan Wehr (10-5) earned the pitching win.
Freshman
Sydney Smith's RBI single in the second inning of the second game put OC ahead and Stoeckel doubled to right-center field off Lubbock Christian starter Amber Carlton (7-2) in the third inning to make it 3-0.
After the Chaparrals scored twice in the bottom of the third, the Eagles build their lead to 6-2 in the fifth. Stoeckel singled ahead of Denny's home run over the left-field wall and
Payton Sabolski's single to left field scored
Bailey Strecker, who had been hit by a pitch.
Annika Schwartzenberger's RBI double down the left-field line keyed a two-run sixth for Lubbock Christian and the Chaparrals threatened again in the bottom of the seventh, picking up a run on an error by the Eagles. But Hagood (14-6) escaped further damage by stranding two Lubbock Christian baserunners and securing the win.
