OBU Bound for Softball Nationals

SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist won the NCCAA Central Region championship and an automatic national berth, dispatching Ecclesia 11-0 and 16-0 Tuesday.
 
"I'm really pleased for our team, especially our seniors," said OBU Coach Pam Fink. "That's such a great group of ladies and it's wonderful that they get to finish off their years here in a national tournament with a Christian atmosphere."
 
Haylee Zimmerman (12-8) and McKenzie Jones combined for a three-hit shutout in the opener with Zimmerman fanning three batters in as many innings.
 
The Lady Bison scored six times in the first inning, using RBI singles by Katie Reyes, Bry Flanagan and Jill Shipman before Jones belted her first college home run – a three-run blast to right center.
 
OBU tacked on three more runs in the second on an RBI fielder's choice by Flanagan and a two-run single by Miranda Garza.
 
Shelby Savage tripled and scored on a sacrifice by Reyes for a 10-0 lead in the third.
 
Flanagan homered to right to lead off the fourth for the final 11-0 margin.
 
The Lady Bison collected a dozen hits in the game, including two each by Reyes, Madison Vaughan and Flanagan.
 
All nine OBU starting position players had hits.
 
Amanda Peterson (5-1) and Bailee Saye combined on a two-hit shutout in the second game. Peterson struck out four batters in her four innings of work.
 
The Lady Bison scored five times in the first inning with an RBI grounder by Saye, a two-run single by Garza and an RBI single by Sam Barry.
 
OBU added seven in the second with an RBI single by Vaughan, an RBI double by Cheyenne Demaree, a three-run home run by Shipman and an RBI ground out by Flanagan.
 
The Lady Bison pushed four more runs across in the fourth. Shannon Mannon collected her first college hit – a two-run single – and scored on a double by Vaughan. Saye added an RBI single to right for the final two runs.
 
OBU stacked up 13 hits in the game, including two each by Vaughan, Shipman and Garza.
 
Now 24-29 on the season, the Lady Bison await word for their national tournament schedule.
 
The Lady Bison, Bluefield (Virginia) and Judson (Illinois) are expected to be joined by five other teams in the National Tournament in Roanoke, Virginia, May 17-19.