OKLAHOMA CITY (April 19, 2022) – No. 15-ranked Oklahoma Christian didn't generate much offense on Tuesday afternoon against Arkansas Tech – just four runs in 16 innings. But in what's an increasingly promising trend, that's all the Eagles needed thanks to stellar pitching.
OC extended its winning streak to 22 games – an ongoing school record and the second-longest active streak in NCAA Division II softball – by rallying for a 3-2 win in nine innings in the opener on a
walkoff home run by Brooklin Bain, then riding a first-inning run all the way in a 1-0 win in the second game as freshman
Grace Anderson pitched a three-hitter.
OC (36-8) now will turn its attention back to the rugged Lone Star Conference, in which they have six games remaining, all on the road. The first two of those will come Friday in a showdown with No. 1-ranked Texas-Tyler, the defending LSC champion and the team with which OC is tied atop the league standings.
Arkansas Tech (31-16) of the Great American Conference entered Tuesday on an 11-game winning streak. On Monday, the Golden Suns were listed as a Division II team "you do not want to play right now" in an article written by a reporter for Turner Sports and posted on the NCAA.com website.
The Eagles' three pitchers –
Kali Crandall,
Lindsey Stoeckel and Anderson – played as if they didn't care who they were facing. They combined to limit Arkansas Tech to eight hits combined in the two games. Stoeckel (10-0) won the first game in relief, putting OC in some rare air, as all three of their primary starting pitchers have won at least 10 games this season.
Arkansas Tech took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener on a solo home run over the left-field wall by Caitlyn Wells, her 11th longball of the season. Shelby Chavers drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning to make it 2-0, but Stoeckel came in and slammed the door, giving up only two hits while strikeout out six in 5 1/3 innings of relief.
OC finally got to Arkansas Tech starter Shannon Lasey (14-6) in the sixth inning. With two outs,
Aaliyah Brown singled – she extended her hitting streak to 11 games during the doubleheader – Lasey then hit
Abi LaValley with a pitch. Janzen followed with a double to left-center field that scored pinch-runner
Hampton Hays and LaValley to tie the game.
The Eagles stranded two baserunners in the sixth and eighth innings. Bain came to the plate with nobody on and two out in the ninth, though, and hit a high shot down the left-field line that sailed over the fence just inside the foul pole to end the game.
OC started the second game quickly. Bain walked and stole second base ahead of a double down the right-field line by Walde off Arkansas Tech starter Bailey Buffington (10-6) that put the Eagles up 1-0.
That proved to be all Anderson (14-2) needed. The Golden Suns threatened in the third inning, loading the bases with two outs on a hit-by-pitch, a single and fielder's choice, but Anderson escaped the jam when OC center fielder
Tristyn Hamilton tracked down a liner by Makenzie Goins. Arkansas Tech didn't advance another runner past first base the rest of the game. Anderson finished with six strikeouts.
GAME 1 STATISTICS
GAME 2 STATISTICS
