ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Oklahoma Baptist (39-9, 24-5 GAC) moved its winning streak to 13 games, pulling within one game of the school's all-time record set in 1992 (14), after a pair of shutout victories at Henderson State on Saturday. The green and gold won 2-0 and 8-0 and inched closer to a Great American Conference Championship.
GAME ONE
Kayleigh Jones (23-5) was her usual self as she tossed a complete game, fanned 14 batters, scattered four hits and induced six groundouts.
That performance was key as the Bison bats didn't manage to get in gear.
The Reddies got three hits after the first two frames and put a pair of base runners in scoring position. However, they failed to capitalize. After those innings, Jones was dominant, allowing just one hit, a single in the seventh. OBU's pitching leader recorded 10 strikeouts from the third to the end of the contest as well.
With no real threat of Henderson scoring, the Bison found their runs in the first and fifth frames.
Emily Adler,
Reagan Ford and
Morgan Max all singled within the first four at-bats of the game. That led to a bases-loaded walk and RBI from
Adi Reese, putting OBU up 1-0 in the first.
A few frames later, it was Reese again that brought in the Bison's run. With the bases loaded and one out, OBU's second baseman lifted a ball to center and pushed Ford across home on the sacrifice fly.
Adler and Ford ended up with two hits for the Bison with Reese driving in those two runs.
GAME TWO
Aspen Younce returned the favor of her teammate, Jones, in the second contest with a great effort. In the run-rule shortened game, Younce went five frames, didn't give up a run and struck out six. She also induced a combined seven fly-outs and ground-ball outs.
Plus, starting catcher
Samantha Campos had some good moments by throwing out two Reddies on stolen-base attempts in the first and second innings. By game's end, only a total of three HSU players managed to get in scoring position.
With the Bison defense humming again, OBU's bats came through in a bigger way in game two.
After attaining a 1-0 lead in the first on a Max RBI single, the green and gold added four more in the third.
During that third-inning action, OBU dialed up RBI connections from Max, Reese and Campos. Plus, there was a two-base throwing error from Henderson that allowed Adler to score. After three, it was 5-0.
A couple innings passed before Greene notched a big, two-run double in the fourth while Adler contributed an RBI groundout in the fifth which scored
Gwyn Miller. That was the team's eighth run and it led to the run-rule shortened game.
OBU then closed things out by getting a pair of strikeouts and groundouts in the bottom of the fifth to secure victory.
Tomorrow, the teams will meet at noon to wrap up the series.
