BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Top-seeded Oklahoma Baptist erased a two-run deficit late in its semifinal matchup against Southern Arkansas but saw a Mulerider home run in the final inning grant the opposition the lead and eventually a 5-4 victory that benched OBU from competition at the Great American Conference tournament on Friday.
Oklahoma Baptist (40-12, 30-3 GAC) looks to Monday's NCAA DII Softball Championship selection show, where its postseason fate will be decided. The show is scheduled to air at 9 a.m. (CT). OBU was slotted fifth in the latest NCAA DII regional polls.
SAU (33-16, 21-12 GAC) jumped to an early lead after plating two on a home run in the opening inning. The Bison returned the favor in their first at-bat, tying the game up on a two-run single from Kennedy Clark that sent Sammie Greene and Adi Reese across the plate.
Then the Muleriders put two more on the board in the second to go ahead 4-2.
Two and a half scoreless frames passed before OBU cut into its deficit. With the bags juiced, Emily Adler singled to bring around Shelby Warden. The good fortune continued into the sixth when a Warden double sent the tying run home.
In SAU's seventh-inning plate appearance, Reagan Dillon blasted a solo shot to push the opposition out front. Nothing came of the Bison's final at-bat as they were retired 1-2-3.
Maggie Place (16-7) was credited with the loss after relieving Kayleigh Jones in the second inning. Place scattered four hits while striking out four and allowing one run in 5.2 innings. Jones surrendered three hits, two earned scores, and registered one strikeout.
Warden led OBU with a season-best 3-for-3 outing at the plate and brought one runner in, while Clark and E. Adler accounted for the remaining RBI.
