TYLER, Texas – Oklahoma Baptist pulled off its second top-five win of the season as it split with No. 5 University of Texas-Tyler in Wednesday's midweek series down in the lone star state. OBU fell 6-2 in the opener before taking down the highly-touted Patriots 3-2 in the finale.
OBU (19-8, 12-1 GAC) snapped UTT's (26-6, 17-4 LSC) 17-game winning streak and handed the Patriots its first home-field loss in 44 games. It was the longest active home winning streak in Division II coming into today's matchup.
It is the Bison's third-ranked victory in 2024. In February, the club secured triumphs over then-ranked No. 3 Central Oklahoma and No. 19 Rogers State.
GAME ONE
OBU opened the contest with a score on an error before UTT took back the lead with a pair of runs at the bottom of the frame.
Pitcher Kayleigh Jones and company held the opposition at bay over the next two innings, allowing Ally Ryan to knot the contest in the fourth. Ryan smacked a solo shot over center field, her ninth homer of the year.
However, the Patriots responded with one run in their next at-bat before tacking on three more in the fifth.
From there, Oklahoma Baptist managed one hit ahead of being retired 1-2-3 in the final frame.
Jones took the loss, moving her season record to 10-3, after allowing six runs in 4.1 innings. Morgan Max came in as relief late and didn't allow a hit or score in 1.2 frames.
Kennedy Clark, Sydney Adler, and Ryan registered hits for OBU.
GAME TWO
Freshman twirler Maggie Place earned her seventh and most significant win on Bison Hill. She limited the Patriots to one earned run and six hits, while striking out five batters.
Place also induced 10 flyouts and six groundouts in 7.0 innings of action.
Like game one, Oklahoma Baptist got on the board first. This time, Sammie Greene crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Then, Greene would score another on a throwing error to put the green and gold up 2-0 going into the fourth inning.
The Patriots finally retaliated in the fourth, via wild pitch, and again in the sixth on a walk.
With the contest tied at two-all in the final frame, rookie Abby Laskowski blasted a lead-off solo homer to grant OBU the lead. It was her second home run of the year.
Place secured the victory at the bottom of the seventh with two flyouts before Kennedy Clark gloved the final out at first.
NEXT UP
Oklahoma Baptist hits the road for a weekend series with GAC foe Southern Arkansas on Saturday across state lines.
