DURANT, Okla. – A three-run sixth inning brought the Oklahoma Bapitst softball team back from behind while sophomore pitcher
Kayleigh Jones closed the door on the top team in the Great American Conference as the Bison earned a huge 5-3 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a deadlock in the early going as neither team was able to get much going offensively until the top half of the fourth inning.
Sheyanne Sandoval reached on a hit by pitch while
Shelby Savage followed with a single, bringing up
McKenna Anderson, who lofted a deep ball into center field to drive in two runs on a double and give the Bison a 2-0 advantage.
Southeastern pushed ahead in the bottom of the fifth off a two RBI triple to even the game followed by a sacrifice fly to take a 3-2 advantage.
The Bison battled back in the top of the sixth as
Mia Moddelmog got the inning started with a double to right, eventually advancing to third with nobody out on a wild pitch. After Sandoval drew her second walk of the day, she took off for second and forced a throw from the catcher, bringing Moddelmog home to beat the tag and even the game at three.
Savage would move Sandoval to third on a sacrifice bunt to set up Anderson, who drove in her third run of the game on a groundout, reaching base on an error by the Savage Storm.
Jocee Sparks capped the inning with a two out RBI single to score Anderson and move the lead to 5-3.
Jones would face trouble in the bottom of the sixth as Southeastern got runners on second and third with nobody out. After a pop up and a walk to load the bases, Jones buckled down and got a second pop up in the inning and a ground out to get out of the jam and keep OBU ahead.
Two runns would reach again for Southeastern in the bottom of the seventh, but Jones showed her toughness, forcing a pair of fly outs to end the game and give the Bison a key victory.
Jones (W, 11-4), went the distance, allowing three runs on five hits to go with five strikeouts and five walks. It was her 10th complete game performance this season.
Anderson finished 1-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI while Sparks was 1-for-3 with a RBI. Moddelmog was 1-for-1 with a double and a run scored while Sandoval was 1-for-2 with two runs scored including two walks.
Kylie Kawamura was 2-for-4 while
Cheyenne Demaree was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.
OBU moves to 15-10 on the year and 10-8 in GAC play. The Bison will look to take the series tomorrow afternoon as the two squads will meet in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
