On Thursday, April 3, the number three ranked USAO softball team (28-6, 18-2 SAC) defeated the Southwestern Christian University (SCU) Eagles (21–13, 12–10 SAC) in both games on day one of the four-game conference series at home. The Drovers won 7-1 and 6-1 on a chilly evening.
Game one:
USAO started the game from behind after an SCU batter singled to the left field, to bring home the first run of the game for the Eagles. After senior pitcher Sophie Williams struck two batters out, the bats turned over to the Drovers whose lineup was stopped by three fielding plays which left USAO trailing SCU 1-0.
The next two innings saw both teams go on defense, with the only offensive action coming from an SCU player tripling to the right field. S. Williams struck three more players out, preventing the Eagles from building on to their single-run lead.
The Drovers made a comeback in the fourth inning, as five different players scored for USAO. After S. Williams recorded a fifth strikeout in the top followed by a line out, the home team went up to bat. Following a double to the left field from sophomore right fielder Kinzie Williams, senior designated player Sierra Selfridge tapped a single to the right field to score the first run for the Drovers and tie SCU 1-1. With one out left after a fly out to the centerfielder, senior first baseman Shaylann Grace came in clutch. Junior centerfielder Jaylee Willis pinch ran for Selfridge, where a double from Grace earned Willis the second run and put USAO in the lead at 2-1. As S. Williams stole third base and junior second baseman Jadyn Goucher stole second, three more singles allowed Grace, S. Williams and Goucher to reach home and increase the lead to 5-1.
USAO continued to lead SCU in the fifth inning, as the USAO fielders prevented any further scoring from the Eagles. Selfridge tapped her second RBI for K. Williams to reach home, but was unable to follow up after an umpire call ruled Selfridge out at second base. S. Williams also batted in a second run that scored sophomore pinch runner Jordan Ramsay the seventh return home for the Drovers who were ahead 7-1.
The rest of the game saw the Drovers defend their lead as neither team scored in the final two innings. An SCU baserunner flied out to K. Williams, ending the game with a 7-1 victory for USAO.
Game two:
The first inning began favorably for USAO, as the SCU batters grounded out and popped out to Goucher and quickly handed the bats over to the Drovers. After McMurtrey and K. Williams stole second base, an error by the Eagles catcher scored McMurtrey the first run for USAO to lead 1-0.
As Goucher made two more catches while sophomore pitcher Jayden Anderson struck her first batter, the USAO batters kept the offense going in the second. An error by the pitcher allowed J. Willis and third baseman Taygan Graham to cross home back-to-back, adding two more runs for the Drovers to make it 3-0 on the scoreboard.
Both teams displayed defensive capability in the third and fourth innings. When three SCU baserunners loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, Graham stopped a potential scoring opportunity with a pop up catch that kept the Eagles scoreless. On the mound, Anderson struck two more SCU batters out to finish the inning with three runners on base for SCU, while Eagles pitcher Laney King struck one out in the bottom of the half.
The Drovers splashed a third wave of offense in the fifth inning. After McMurtrey stole second base, sophomore catcher Leighanne Eaton used a sacrifice fly out to give McMurtrey the next run for USAO. Grace stepped up to the plate again and smacked her fourth homer of the season.
With the Drovers still ahead of the Eagles in the final two innings, Anderson tossed two more strikeouts in the circle. An SCU batter managed to achieve a late first run for the Eagles on a clutch, but a second grounded out ball caught by McMurtrey ended the game with USAO winning 6-1 and two consecutive victories at home to conclude the evening.
The pitching staff of S. Williams and Anderson combined for a total of 11 strikeouts, 12 hits, and five walks. S. Williams struck out the most batters at six, allowed six hits and walked two batters. Anderson followed with five strikeouts while she allowed six hits and walked three batters. S. Williams had the highest strike percentage at 62.4%, followed by Anderson with 61.5%. S. Williams and Anderson each pitched a full 7.0 innings in the first and second game, respectively.
Grace, K. Williams, and Selfridge led the batting lineup with three hits each. S. Williams had the highest batting average, going two-for-three at the plate with two hits leading to two runs. K. Williams scored the most runs with three, followed by Grace and McMurtrey with two each. As a team, the Drovers earned 13 runs across both games.
USAO will wrap up the home conference series against SCU with the second doubleheader on Monday, April 7. The first pitch for game one is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Bill Smith Ballpark, followed by game two at 6 p.m.
Jordan Prewitt is a fifth-year English major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
