OKLAHOMA CITY (March 4, 2022) – Some days on the softball diamond are tougher than others, and Friday was unfortunately one of those days for No. 18-ranked Oklahoma Christian.

Opening their Lone Star Conference season against a quality Lubbock Christian (Texas) squad, the Eagles twice took the lead into the seventh inning, only to end up on the wrong end of 4-3 and 8-7 scores on a breezy afternoon at Tom Heath Field. The first loss snapped OC's seven-game winning streak in its series against the Chaparrals, who hadn't swept the Eagles in Oklahoma City since the 2012 season.

The Eagles won't have any time to feel sorry for themselves – they've got to turn around and face No. 6-ranked Angelo State (Texas) on Saturday in another LSC doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. The doubleheader was moved up a day due to rain in Sunday's forecast.

None of the four runs for Lubbock Christian (16-2, 2-0 LSC) in the opener were earned. OC (11-6, 0-2 LSC) fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second inning in the opening game, but tied the game an inning later and took a 3-2 lead when Kylie Janzen homered to center field in the bottom of the sixth.

But LCU took advantage of a dropped popup in the top of the seventh to score twice, with Tyla Lee delivering the go-ahead RBI single off OC reliever Grace Anderson (4-2). Rian Gamble singled off LCU starter Taylor Franco (9-0) to start the bottom of the seventh, stole second base and took third base on a wild pitch.

Lubbock Christian reliever Maxine Valdez stranded Gamble there, though, retiring Brooklin Bain and Whitney Walde on groundouts and striking out Janzen to end the game. It was Valdez's first save of the season.

In the second game, Bain went 4 for 4 with two doubles, a triple and three RBIs and Walde went 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Bain and Walde hit consecutive doubles in the third inning, which put OC ahead 3-0.

Lubbock Christian jumped on Anderson for five-run fourth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Kasey Flores. Bain's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth tied the game. Walde singled and scored on a passed ball in the fifth to put OC ahead 6-5, but with two outs in the seventh, LCU tied the game when Lee walked and pinch-runner Riley Lunsford scored on a double by Flores to tie the game.

Tiarra Del Rosario's two-run double in the top of the eighth off OC reliever Kali Crandall (6-4) put the Chaparrals ahead 8-6. Janzen drilled her second homer of the day to straightaway center field to lead off the bottom of the eighth off LCU reliever Mattye Tyler (1-0), but Franco entered the game and limited the Eagles to only one baserunner the rest of the inning while picking up her first save.