OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 15, 2020) – For the second straight day, Oklahoma Christian split with a pair of foes Saturday in the Edmond Regional Festival in frustrating fashion.
A late push by the Eagles allowed them to run-rule winless Colorado State-Pueblo, but OC allowed a late four-run lead to slip away in a 5-4 loss to Colorado-Colorado Springs at Tom Heath Field.
OC (11-3) was leading Colorado State-Pueblo (0-8) just 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning when the ThunderWolves' leadoff batter, Samantha Riesen, reached third base with no outs. OC coach
Shanon Hays came out of the dugout and spoke sternly to his infielders and the tide suddenly turned.
Riesen was stranded at third and OC sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring four runs, in the bottom of the inning, with
Lindsey Stoeckel and
Bailey Strecker contributed run-scoring singles. OC added three more runs in the sixth, with two scoring on what proved to be a pinch-hit, walk-off triple by freshman
Tristyn Hamilton.
Stoeckel (4-1) picked up the pitching win, while
Karrah Dean threw three innings in relief to record her first save of the softball season. Hannah Anderson (0-1) took the loss for Colorado State-Pueblo.
Against UCCS, the Eagles went ahead 2-0 in the second inning when
Katelyn Dunckel hit an RBI double and later scored. OC made it 4-0 in the third on a RBI single by
Kaitlyn Dennis and appeared to be in cruise control.
But the Mountain Lions rallied in the sixth, tying the game with five hits, including a two-run double by Saleen Quinonez. In the seventh, Courtnie Heller hit a leadoff home run off Dean (1-2) to put UCCS ahead.
In the bottom of the seventh, OC's
Kelsey Gammage singled with one out and
Jaiden Johnson followed with a double, putting two runners in scoring position, and Stoeckel was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But UCCS starter Braelyne Crenshaw (3-2) finished off a complete game, coaxing a popup from Dean and a fly ball from Dunckel to end the threat.
OC will host in-state rival Northeastern State on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the final game of the second weekend of the festival.