OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 23, 2020) – The conference affiliations might have changed in recent months, but Oklahoma Christian's recent run of success in its softball series against in-state rival Rogers State continued Saturday at Tom Heath Field.

Freshman Logan Menzies hit a two-run double to key a three-run fourth inning for OC and pitcher Lindsey Stoeckel ended the game with a clutch strikeout, giving the Eagles a 6-5 win over the No. 22-ranked Hillcats in the Edmond Regional Festival. It was OC's first win this season over a ranked foe.

OC (15-3) has won 11 of its last 14 games against Rogers State (16-4), winning five times in six tries last season after going 5-2 vs. the Hillcats the season before. Unfortunately for OC, those two losses came in the Heartland Conference tournament, but the Eagles gained a measure of revenge by downing the Hillcats in the Heartland tournament last season en route to the title.

Rogers State – now in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – debuted in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's NCAA Division II rankings this week and earlier in the day, the Hillcats posted an impressive 5-0 win over OC's new Lone Star Conference rival, No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce.

OC jumped quickly on Rogers State starter M'Kayla Hillman (4-4), scoring two runs in the first inning. Hillman hit leadoff batter Brie Dunckel with a pitch ahead of a triple by Kelsey Gammage. Gammage scored on a sacrifice fly by Katelyn Dunckel.

The Hillcats tied the game in the top of the third inning, with Danelle Day's RBI single keying a two-run outburst. But OC went right back ahead in the bottom of the third, as Brie Dunckel singled to left field, stole second base, took third base on a sacrifice bunt by Gammage and scored on a groundout by Jaiden Johnson.

With one out in the fourth, Stoeckel walked for OC and Kaitlyn Dennis single up the middle. Menzies pinch-hit for Hannah Pate and delivered her double to center field to put OC up 5-2. Daelyn Denny later doubled and scored for the Eagles in the inning, making it 6-2.

As befitting a strong team, Rogers State staged one last rally in the seventh against Stoeckel, who entered the game to start the fourth inning. Sabrina Anguiano hit a leadoff home run over the left-field fence and the Hillcats then loaded the bases with no outs on an infield single, a fielder's choice grounder and a walk.

Stoeckel coaxed a foul popup from Makayla Bowman before Tailee Reding's sacrifice fly scored Mikayla Waggnor to pull the Hillcats within 6-5. With the potential tying run on third base, Stoeckel struck out Abigail Taylor looking to end the game and finish off her first save of the season. Karrah Dean (2-2) picked up the pitching win for the Eagles.

OC will wrap up the Edmond Regional Festival – which has spanned three weekends – with a 1 p.m. game Sunday against Fort Hays State (Kan.).