ALVA, Okla. – Oklahoma Baptist (25-18, 13-11 GAC) scored 12 runs to complete their second conference sweep of the season, beating Northwestern Oklahoma State (13-23-1, 7-17 GAC) by scores of 5-0 and 7-1 on Saturday.
Pitching was the name of the game again, as the rotation of Aspen Younce and Kayleigh Jones steered the Bison to back-to-back victories.
Younce appeared in game one, twirling through 7.0 innings and striking out a career-best 12 batters en route to her ninth win of the year. With outstanding defensive play, Younce and company blanked the Rangers and surrendered two hits.
Kayleigh Jones got the start in game two, pitching through 5.0 innings before being relieved by Younce. Jones struck out 11, bringing her weekend strikeout total to 24 after striking out 13 on Friday. She earned the win, her 16th of the year, as Younce claimed the save with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work.
Shelby Warden's career-best four RBIs guided Oklahoma Baptist to its finale win, while Reagan Ford brought around two in game one to lead OBU at the plate.
GAME ONE
It took two innings for the game's first score to occur as Ford charted her first RBI of the contest, plating Sheyanne Sandoval with a single.
The sophomore, Ford, repeated the action in the fifth to score Gwyn Miller and put the Bison up 2-0. An Adi Reese sacrifice fly would conclude the inning's scoring as Sandoval scored a second time.
With a comfortable 5-0 lead and Younce pitching flawlessly, OBU wanted more. At the top of the seventh, a Sandoval sacrifice bunt scored Miller to draw the tally 4-0.
Sandoval would touch home plate for a third time, matching her career-best, for the Bison's final score shortly after.
Ford went a perfect 2-2 at the plate and batted in two, while Reese and Aileen Avelar registered RBIs apiece.
GAME TWO
Oklahoma Baptist picked up where they left off in the inaugural game, posting an early score in the first inning. Samantha Campos singled through the left side to plate Sammie Greene and give OBU an early advantage.
Then, the Bison tacked on four runs in the fourth, highlighted by a Shelby Warden single that brought around three.
Northwestern would post their first score of the day at the bottom of the frame, but OBU responded with another in the fifth to draw the tally 6-1.
Warden cemented the victory with a sacrifice bunt to plate Sammie Greene for a final score.
Reagan Ford and Greene led the Bison at the plate with two hits apiece while five others registered one.
Oklahoma Baptist will continue their road tour on Wednesday as they'll travel to Texas for a doubleheader with Texas Woman's University. The first game is slated for a 3 p.m. start time.
