CONROE, Texas (Feb. 5, 2022) – Shalee Rodriguez started her career as Oklahoma Christian's head coach with a bang on Saturday, upsetting No. 2-ranked Augustana (S.D.), a team many think will contend for the NCAA Division II softball title. But after that big win, it didn't take long for her mood to sour.

No. 15-ranked OC, following its 5-3 win over the Vikings, turned around and struggled nearly all the way while falling 3-0 in its first-ever meeting against its sister institution, Harding (Ark.), giving the Eagles a split on their opening day of the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational on Scrap Yard Sports' Field No. 3.

"It was awesome beating Augustana," Rodriguez said. "It just doesn't feel like it means much after losing to somebody who's not ranked. The Harding pitcher is a good pitcher and they're a good team, but we just didn't make adjustments as fast as we should have. We had too many fly balls and too many errors. But we'll get there. We've just got to make adjustments sooner."

Freshman Grace Anderson starred for OC (1-1) against Augustana (2-2), striking out six batters in five innings in the circle and going 3 for 3 at the plate with a RBI single in the sixth inning that gave the Eagles a huge insurance run.

OC took control early with a four-run second-inning outburst, keyed by an infield RBI single by Hannah Pate and a two-run triple by Kylie Janzen off Augustana starter Malayla Williams (0-1).

Anderson (1-0) started fast, with two strikeouts in each of her first three innings, but Augustana chipped away and scored one run each in the fourth, fifth and sixth.

In the fifth, OC center fielder Tristyn Hamilton short-circuited a potential rally by the Vikings. With a run already in and speedy leadoff hitter Mary Pardo on second base, Augustana's Liz Dierks singled to center, but Hamilton fired home to catcher Whitney Walde, who saw that Pardo had overrun third base. Walde's throw to third baseman Lindsey Stoeckel was in time to tag Pardo and end the threat.

After the Vikings opened the sixth with consecutive singles, OC ace Kali Crandall relieved Anderson and limited the damage to just one run, then escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh inning to earn the save.

Harding (4-0) had three triples against Crandall (0-1). One of them, by Hanna Jones, keyed a two-run third inning by the Bisons and another, by Nicole Shano, made it 3-0 in the fifth inning.

Meanwhile, Harding pitcher Lily Tanski (2-0) handcuffed the Eagles, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before a sharp single to right field by Hamilton.

OC really threatened only in the seventh inning, when Tanski hit two batters and Janzen doubled. With two runners on, Anderson fouled off about 10 pitches from Tanski before a sharp line drive to left field, which Harding's Ashton Bryce caught for the second out. With the bases loaded and two outs, Tanski coaxed a soft popup from Rebeca Fajardo to end the game.

OC will face Colorado School of Mines and No. 25-ranked Central Missouri on Sunday before finishing the festival Monday with a game against Southeastern Oklahoma State.