Scoring 12 runs in two games, the Oklahoma Christian University softball team started a five-game week off with a two-game sweep over Southwestern Oklahoma State University Feb. 13.
“We all played for each other, were relaxed and had fun playing,” senior Madison Nordyke said. “We showed how we are capable of playing and people weren’t as nervous.”
In the first game against Southwestern, Oklahoma Christian opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with seven runs.
Two of those runs came after senior Kaylie Upton hit a home run, which also scored senior Bridget White.
Southwestern scored two runs in the top of the second and third innings to bring the score to 7-2. Then, Oklahoma Christian answered and scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to seal the victory 11-2.
Upton (4-1) pitched the win for the Lady Eagles allowing only four hits in four innings. Freshman Hannah Andrews pitched the fifth inning, throwing one strikeout and allowing zero runs.
The second game contained less scoring than the first with Oklahoma Christian winning 1-0.
Upton recorded the lone score for the Lady Eagles in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior Kayla Eichler reached the base on a fielding error by the shortstop, which allowed Upton to score unearned.
Junior Madison Hagood (2-1) recorded the win from the mound for the Lady Eagles, allowing four hits
Nordyke led for Oklahoma Christian at home plate, hitting 5-for-7 across the two games. She said her success came from being more relaxed at the plate, which allowed her to hit the ball well.
Oklahoma Christian fell behind early against East Central University by three runs in the top of the second Feb. 15 at Tom Heath Field.
Senior Hunter Strickland scored in the bottom of the sixth off a single by senior Jessica Killer to tie the game 4-4.
Oklahoma Christian held East Central to only one run in the top of the seventh inning, but the Lady Eagles only scored one in the bottom of the seventh, which led to the loss 4-5.
The Lady Eagles hit the ball 11 times and only suffered one strike out during the game.
Nordyke (1-4) was the starting pitcher for Oklahoma Christian. She allowed four runs in three innings before Upton relieved her, pitched two innings and threw three strikeouts. Hagood came in to close the game for Oklahoma Christian in the final inning and allowed only two hits.
“I feel like we kind of came out not ready to play and we couldn’t overcome the lead,” Nordyke said. “We were hitting the ball well, right at them, which happens in games sometimes and you can’t control that. We needed to get a timely hit to score a run. We just couldn’t find the gaps in the outfield for that hit.”
Oklahoma Christian traveled to cross-town rival University of Central Oklahoma Feb. 17 and finished the day 1-1 against the Lady Bronchos.
In the first game, the Lady Eagles failed to score, leading to a 0-3 loss.
Hagood (2-2) started on the mound for Oklahoma Christian and threw one strike-out. Then, Upton pitched the end of the sixth inning for the Lady Eagles.
“In the first game, we played pretty solid defense and Madison pitched good,” Nordyke said. “We seemed to get runners on base, but could never get that hit to score them.”
Central Oklahoma scored first in the second game with one run in the bottom of the first inning, but Oklahoma Christian scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning to get the victory, 5-3.
Upton led the Lady Eagles with three hits in four at-bats.
Upton (5-1) also was the starting pitcher for Oklahoma Christian and pitched three innings with three strikeouts. Nordyke recorded her first save of the season, allowing zero runs in the seventh inning.
“It felt great,” Nordyke said. “I just knew Upton deserved this win because she pitched six great innings for us, so I went out there to do whatever I needed to do so she could get that win.”
The Lady Eagles will open conference play at home against Lubbock Christian University in a doubleheader Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
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