OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Missouri Baptist University softball fell 6-5 in heartbreaking fashion to Oklahoma City University in the NAIA Opening Round on Wednesday.
Trailing 6-5 with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh,
Jenna Achs roped what would have been a walk-off single through the right side that was stopped by a diving Illiana Ashford and turned into a game-ending double play.
With a Stars win, they forced the "If Necessary" game, and both teams will play a winner-take-all contest at 1 p.m., for a chance to head to the NAIA final site in Columbia, Ga. For the full NAIA Opening Round schedule, click
here.
Oklahoma City Recap
MBU starter
Brooklynn Fischer retired the side in order in the top of the first but hit trouble in the second. OCU scored six runs on seven hits, including a three-run home run from Tiffany Paul.
Fischer settled in after that inning, tossing up zeroes for the rest of the contest and ending her day with seven innings, 11 hits, six earned runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Miranda Ladson began to dig the Spartans out of the hole with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third.
Alexi Sanchez followed up in the next at bat with a single and came around to score on
Makayla Johnson's RBI single to left.
After a Fischer sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, the Spartans trailed 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Sanchez singled to lead off, the Stars committed an error, and Johnson doubled home a run.
The Stars opted to bring in Emersen Heron out of the bullpen with two runners in scoring position. She got her first batter to pop out but surrendered a bunt single to catcher
Emily Wright to load the bases. With the game on the line, Achs stepped in and got a barrel on a pitch, but it was scooped up by a diving second baseman who stood up, tagged the runner heading to second, and wrapped up the double play with a throw to first.
Winning Pitcher: M. Sawatzky (4-0)
Losing Pitcher: Brooklynn Fischer (21-4)
Save: E. Heron (1)
Batting Leaders
Makayla Johnson: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Miranda Ladson: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
Alexi Sanchez: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R
Records:
No. 16 Missouri Baptist: 45-7
No. 7 Oklahoma City: 49-9
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