SHAWNEE – On Tuesday, April 15, Oklahoma Baptist took care of business at home, sweeping a doubleheader against Northeastern State with a 9-1 run-rule victory in the opener followed by a hard-fought 5-3 win in game two. With the results, the Bison improved to 29-15 overall and continued their strong play towards the end of the regular season.
GAME ONE
The Bison opened the day with a commanding performance, putting up multiple runs in three different innings while shutting the door defensively.
After leaving two RiverHawks runners stranded in the first,
Kaley Cook got the scoring started in the bottom half with a leadoff solo homer. OBU added two more in the second, taking advantage of four walks and a sacrifice fly from
Sammie Greene, who brought in
Ayzia Shirey.
The third inning was the turning point. After a
Morgan Max walk, and an
Ally Ryan single,
Abby Laskowski delivered a three-run blast to left center to give OBU a 6-0 lead.
Though NSU scored once in the fifth, the Bison responded with a two-run homer by
Hailey Stanford in the bottom half. In the sixth, Cook swiped second base to break the program's single-season steals record, securing her 38th stolen bag of the season. That surpassed a 1993 total of 37 set previously by Mary May.
Greenlee Wells then ended the game with an RBI single in the sixth to secure the 9-1 run-rule result.
In the circle,
Jaycee Shaffer went the distance and earned her 16th win of the season.
GAME TWO
The second game was a tighter contest, but OBU once again came through in key moments.
After a quiet first frame, the Bison struck for three runs in the second. Singles from Max and Laskowski set the stage before a two-out, bases-loaded hit to right by freshman
Kaylee Davis broke the scoreless tie. Afterward, a fielding error at second allowed two more Bison to score, Cook brought home freshman
Payton Bragg before Wells' fielder's choice RBI scored
Erin Bonehill. At that point, it was 3-0 OBU.
NSU responded in the third with a two-run homer and an RBI single after a wild pitch to tie the game 3-3. But the tie was short-lived as Max hammered a homer in the bottom of the inning, giving the Bison a 4-3 edge.
In the sixth, Cook delivered again, driving in a key insurance run to push the lead to 5-3. The Bison defense locked it down from there, retiring NSU in order in the seventh to complete the sweep.
Jorja Barrett earned the win in the circle while Max picked up her sixth save of the year.
Oklahoma Baptist's next series comes against Arkansas Tech beginning Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m.
