EDMOND, Okla. – The Oklahoma Baptist softball team's historic season came to a close as losses by scores of 2-1 and 3-2 to No. 4 Central Oklahoma and No. 18 Harding benched the Bison from competition at the NCAA DII Central Regional I Tournament on Friday night.
OBU had one-score leads going into the final innings of both games, but couldn't hold on to take down either opponent.
Oklahoma Baptist ends their 2023 campaign one win shy of the all-time program record for wins, finishing 44-12. The year featured the school's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and GAC regular season title.
GAME ONE VS. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Baptist went toe-to-toe with top-seed Central Oklahoma for eight innings but failed to pull out the upset despite three errors from the Bronchos.
Kayleigh Jones fought through one of the toughest lineups in the nation, a performance featuring multiple two-out jams with loaded bases. Unfortunately, a UCO blast over left field in the game's extra-inning gave the opposition the walk-off victory.
Jones struck out six and gave up two earned runs in her 40th appearance of the season.
At the plate, Sammie Greene and Kennedy Clark tallied a hit apiece. Clark brought in the lone score for OBU.
After the home team retired Oklahoma Baptist 1-2-3 in the opening inning, the Bronchos ripped off two hits in the bottom of the frame. With the bases juiced following the second connection, Jones struck on the next batter to escape the inning unharmed.
Jones repeated the process an inning later, punching out of another bases-loaded situation with a ground-out to keep her slate clean.
Then in the fourth, OBU's diligence paid off. After Sammie Greene singled in the first at-bat, a few batters later, Clark sent her teammate across on a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Bison advantage.
Silence fell over the scoresheet the next three innings until the seventh. For the Bison, a hit from Clark was the lone bright spot, while UCO tallied two. One of their connections, a single from Amelya Huggins, brought in the tying score to force extras.
Again, Oklahoma Baptist produced nothing and left the game to the opposition at the bottom of the eighth. The No. 1 seed made the most of the opportunity on the third pitch, as a Jacee Minter solo blast brought the contest to a close.
GAME TWO VS. HARDING
After a two-hit game versus UCO, the Bison's bats got hot in their rematch with GAC foe Harding. The Bisons, who OBU beat 4-2 in the opening round of the tournament, matched the offensive energy of Oklahoma Baptist.
The green and gold charted nine hits, while the opposition posted eight. Two of those connections came early, courtesy of OBU.
At the bottom of the first, Emily Adler and Morgan Max made it to base on singles, but the effort was to no avail as a final strikeout sent the Bison to the dugout empty.
Harding tallied two hits in the next frame, but Aspen Younce and company shut the momentum down with a forced line-out to hold the game scoreless.
Oklahoma Baptist finally broke through at the bottom of the second, as a sacrifice from E. Adler and a single from Reagan Ford brought in two runs.
OBU kept their cushion until a three-hit Harding inning resulted in a score, drawing the tally 2-1.
Like the previous game, the Bison waltzed into the seventh with a one-run lead. HU responded with two runs to take the advantage before retiring Oklahoma Baptist at the bottom of the frame to cement the win.
Younce took the circle for the final time as a Bison, striking out two in a complete game of action. Reagan Ford led OBU at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance, while Morgan Max and Sammie Greene collected two hits apiece.
