OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Oklahoma Baptist softball team (8-5, 0-0 GAC) split the concluding day of the Edmond Regional Festival, blanking Fort Hays State (4-8, 0-0 MIAA) 5-0 and falling 5-0 to No. 15 Oklahoma Christian (11-4, 0-0 LSC) on Monday evening.
In game one against the Tigers, the Bison got rolling and didn't let up. After OBU tallied three-straight outs in the top part of the inaugural inning, Jocee Sparks went yard for the third time in the past three games.
Sparks' homerun brought around Sheyanne Sandoval to put the green and gold up 2-0 in the first.
The scoring would silence for an entire inning until Samantha Campos plated Sandoval to tack on one more for Oklahoma Baptist.
Then Asia Henry brought the remaining two Bison around with a double into left field.
This would conclude the scoring for OBU as pitcher Kayleigh Jones and company thrived on the defensive side, completing the shutout 5-0.
Sparks led the Bison at the plate, hitting a two-shot home run in her only at-bat, while Asia Henry drove in two in a couple of plate appearances.
Sandoval went 3-4 while Emily Smith and Emily Richardson registered a hit apiece. Sandoval also scored two runs.
Jones (4-3) pitched a complete game in the circle, striking out seven and surrendering zero runs. She faced 26 batters and allowed two hits.
OBU's hitting spree was held at bay in game two as the nationally ranked Eagles surrendered one hit all evening.
Oklahoma Christian got the ball rolling with a score in the first stanza, courtesy of a triple into left-center. Their momentum would carry into the following three innings, as the Eagles scored at least one run in each.
Fortunately, pitcher Aspen Younce and company put a cap on OC's good fortune to blank the Eagles in the sixth.
At the top of the seventh, OBU put two on base but couldn't find their way across home plate as Oklahoma Christian secured their victory with one last out.
Adi Reese was the only Bison to record a hit, while Younce (4-1) charted her first loss of the season, surrendering five runs in 6.0 innings of work. She faced 32 batters and struck out five.
Oklahoma Baptist will return to action for their conference opener on Friday against Ouachita Baptist. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
