MONTICELLO, Ark. – Oklahoma Baptist found its way back into the win column in dominating fashion as they swept Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday to clinch the series. OBU shutout the Blossoms 5-0 in game one before wrapping up the day with a 10-1 mercy-rule victory in the finale.
The Bison move to 24-8 on the season with a 9-4 mark in Great American Conference play. Meanwhile, UAM drops to 13-11 with a 6-7 record against league opponents.
GAME ONE
Another fantastic appearance in the pitching lane by Kayleigh Jones (16-5) paced the Bison to victory in game one as the senior posted her sixth shutout of the season. Jones punched out 11 batters while surrendering two hits in a complete game of action.
OBU recorded double-digit hits for the 10th time this season, led by two hits from Morgan Max and Samantha Campos. Max led the duo with two RBIs.
Gwyn Miller homered for the third time in five games, finishing the day 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs. Six other Bison charted a hit, including a triple from Reagan Ford.
In the first inning, Oklahoma Baptist got on board first with a Max ground-out that scored Ford for a 1-0 advantage. Then Jones struck out two of the five batters she faced in the bottom of the frame to hold UAM scoreless.
Silence commenced over the next three innings until OBU racked up four runs in the fifth to go ahead 5-0. Two runs came courtesy of Miller, who sent a shot over left field.
Afterward, Jones and the Bison defense held the opposition to zero hits to complete the victory.
GAME TWO
Oklahoma Baptist kept their dominant mentality in game two, scoring 10 runs for the third time in 2023 to mercy-rule the Blossoms in five innings.
OBU allowed just one run in the contest, coming at the bottom of the opening frame. With the score tied 1-1 going into the second inning, the Bison tacked on another, courtesy of a Gwyn Miller solo shot to go ahead 2-1.
It was all Bison the rest of the way as Oklahoma Baptist plated two in the third before erupting for six scores in the fourth.
A Morgan Max home run in the third sparked the excitement before Samantha Campos doubled to cross the inning's second score for a 4-1 lead.
Then RBI doubles from Emily Adler, Max, and Kennedy Clark tallied four more runs for the Bison before Adi Reese singled to plate the ninth score. Reese would cement the run-rule victory with a score on a fielding error by UAM's catcher.
Aspen Younce (5-1) earned the win after twirling 4.0 innings and striking out eight batters. Younce gave up a run and three hits. Olivia Cummings entered in relief to close the victory with a couple of strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at 1 p.m. for the series finale.
