BENTONVILLE,
Ark. — Oklahoma Baptist scratched across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to edge Southwestern Oklahoma State 3–2 in a thrilling first-round matchup at the Great American Conference Tournament on Thursday.
Tied 2–2 entering the final frame, the Bison got a leadoff single from catcher
Abby Laskowski, who gave way to pinch runner
Hailey Stanford. After a bunt single and sacrifice moved the runners up,
Haley Hacker delivered the game-winning knock to right center, scoring Stanford and sending the OBU dugout into celebration mode.
OBU (35–16) matched SWOSU (22–25) hit-for-hit with eight apiece but capitalized at key moments. Hacker went 2-for-3 with the decisive RBI, while
Greenlee Wells added a double and scored a run. Plus, freshman
Nichelle Marshall delivered an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Pitcher
Jaycee Shaffer improved to 19-3, scattering eight hits and two runs over a complete-game performance with four strikeouts and just one walk.
SWOSU did hold one brief lead, an RBI single by Riley Lusk in the third. However, in the next frame,
Sammie Greene singled home
Kaley Cook to tie things up.
Of significance, Cook earned her eighth triple of the year during the first frame. That's the most ever in single-season OBU history.
Oklahoma Baptist advances to face Southern Nazarene in the GAC Tournament Semifinals tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
