BETHANY, Okla. – Freshman pitcher Maggie Place collected her first career win on Bison Hill as Oklahoma Baptist defeated Fort Hays State 5-2 on the opening day of the Raising Cane's Softball Festival at Tere Webber Field.
Place struck out five and gave up on one earned run in a complete game of work. It was her second outing this year with five punchouts, bringing her season total to 13. Place also didn't walk or hit a batter.
Ally Ryan smacked her second home run of the year, a part of a 1-for-2 day inside the batter's box. Ryan accounted for a team-best in RBI (2) alongside Cassidy Morrow, who batted 1-for-2 at the plate.
Sophomore Meghan Roberts stepped in at second base for the first start of her career and recorded two assists and a putout. At the plate, Roberts brought one runner across for a score.
Others collecting hits for OBU were Sammie Greene, Morgan Max, and Samantha Campos. Two of them crossed home plate, along with Hailey Stanford, who pinch-ran.
Morrow put Oklahoma Baptist on top early with a double down the field line that scored two runners, good for a 2-0 lead.
Fort Hays State responded with a run in the third, drawing the margin to 2-1. Then, in the fourth inning, a Roberts sacrifice fly brought in Campos.
The Tigers retaliated at the top of the fifth with a score, but a forced ground-out on an 0-2 count with two outs retired the momentum.
At the bottom of the frame, Ryan sent a moonshot over left center to improve OBU's lead to 5-2.
Place remained composed the rest of the way, fanning two batters en route to a Bison victory.
NEXT UP
Oklahoma Baptist resumes play in the festival tomorrow with games against Washburn at 3:30 p.m. and Nebraska Kearney at 6:00 p.m. Both contests will be played at Deer Creek High School in Edmond, Okla.
