WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Oklahoma Baptist opened its GAC road series with an 8–5 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday afternoon, using a fast offensive start and steady pitching to improve to 16–2 overall and 4–0 in league play.
The Bison wasted no time striking first in the opening inning. After two quick outs,
Greenlee Wells put OBU on the board with a towering solo home run to left.
Ally Ryan followed with an infield single, and after
Haley Hacker was hit by a pitch,
Nichelle Marshall drove in Ryan with a sharp single to right that made it 2–0.
OBU threatened again in the second, loading the bases after a single from
Abby Laskowski, a walk by
Alexah Reyes, and Wells being hit by a pitch, but SWOSU pitcher Jaycee McKee worked out of the jam.
The breakthrough came in the fourth, when
Katelyn Kilgore singled and advanced on a wild pitch before
Kaley Cook laced an RBI double to left. Cook then took third on another wild pitch, and Reyes delivered an RBI double to extend the lead to 4–0. Ryan added a run‑scoring infield single moments later, giving the Bison a 5–0 cushion.
OBU kept rolling in the fifth. After
Keirstin Briggs singled, Kilgore smoked an RBI double to center, and Cook followed with his second RBI double of the day to right, pushing the margin to 7–0. The Bison added one more in the sixth when Ryan launched a solo homer to center—her second extra‑base hit of the game—to make it 8–1.
In the circle,
Jaycee Shaffer continued her dominant stretch, tossing 4.1 innings of shutout, one‑hit softball with six strikeouts to earn her ninth win of the season.
Aubrey Williams entered in the fifth before
Naomi Redman handled the sixth and part of the seventh as SWOSU mounted a late rally. After three runs closed the gap, Shaffer returned to slam the door with a game‑ending strikeout.
Cook led the Bison at the plate, going 3‑for‑5 with two doubles, two RBI, and a stolen base, while Ryan turned in a 3‑for‑4 day with two RBI and a homer. Kilgore added two hits including a double, and Reyes contributed an RBI double and a walk. Laskowski, Briggs, Marshall, and Wells—who homered and scored twice—rounded out an OBU lineup that recorded 14 total hits.
Southwestern was led by catcher Taylor McMahon, who finished with three hits and two RBI, and outfielder Emily Wedel, who tallied two hits including an RBI double. Infielder Taylor McKee delivered a key two‑run double during the Bulldogs' sixth‑inning push.
Oklahoma Baptist and Southwestern continue the series Saturday with a doubleheader in Weatherford at 12 and 2 pm.
