OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 14, 2020) – Oklahoma Christian's offense had been stuck in neutral all day Friday, costing the Eagles in a 3-2 loss to Chadron State (Neb.) and causing them to enter the sixth inning against Fort Hays State (Kan.) tied 1-1.
Kelsey Gammage broke the tie with a single up the middle to score
Daelyn Denny and the Eagles were off and running to a seven-run inning that gave them an 8-1 win in the Edmond Regional Festival at Tom Heath Field.
OC (9-2) managed only 11 hits in 12 innings before the outburst, which was capped by a towering grand slam to left-center field that was freshman
Karrah Dean's first collegiate home run. It provided the Eagles with a much-needed boost after the loss to Chadron State (4-3), in which they missed a chance to tie the softball game in the bottom of the seventh inning.
For most of the game against Fort Hays State (4-2), OC starter
Kali Crandall and Fort Hays State starter Hailey Chapman engaged in a pitchers' duel. Crandall (5-0) allowed only three hits and struck out eight Tigers, but was the victim of a third-inning unearned run after a dropped fly ball. OC had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning, when
Hannah Pate's single up the middle scored pinch-runner
Hayden Harjo.
OC broke through against Chapman (2-2) in a big way in the bottom of the sixth. Denny tripled to right-center field to lead off and one out later, Gammage's single put the Eagles ahead.
Jaiden Johnson followed with another single and
Brianna Robinson walked to load the bases.
Katelyn Dunckel's double to right-center made it 4-1, and
Bailey Strecker walked to again load the bases, setting the stage for Dean, who homered off reliever MIchaelanne Nelson. Dean then pitched the top of the seventh to close out the game.
Chadron State jumped ahead 2-0 thanks to consecutive RBI doubles in the third inning by Bailey Marvel and Addison Spears off OC starter
Lindsey Stoeckel (3-1). OC pulled within 2-1 in the fourth when Dunckel doubled home Stoeckel, who had been hit by a pitch, but Spears hit a solo home run in the fifth.
OC stranded two baserunners in the sixth against Chadron State starter Tia Kohl (2-2) but rallied in the seventh. Gammage walked and
Brie Dunckel singled to left field, with both runners moving up a base on a fielding error. Pinch-hitter
Bailey Strecker singled to short right field to score Gammage and send
Brie Dunckel to third base.
Pinch-runner
Tristyn Hamilton tried to steal second base, drawing a throw that caromed off Kohl's glove. But Marvel, the shortstop, corralled the loose ball and fired home to catcher Bailey Rominger, who tagged
Brie Dunckel, who was trying to score, for the second out.
Jaiden Johnson flew out to deep right field to end the game.
The loss ended an eight-game winning streak for OC. The Eagles will face Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado-Colorado Springs on Saturday at 10 a.m. and noon, respectively.
