Oklahoma Christian University Softball Head Coach Tom Heath said he would be using the first few weeks of this season to try out a few different lineups with his new team.
Heath’s Lady Eagles went on an early six-game stretch to begin the year and came out of the weekend 2-4, splitting both sets of games on Saturday and Sunday.
“What I told the players after the game is that this season is a work in progress,” Heath said. “We’re going to play several people over the course of this tournament and our next tournament before we get a starting lineup, if you will. We’ve got a lot of good talent on this team, but we’re very, very young. We made a lot of freshman mistakes, mentally as well as physically.”
The opening day for the Lady Eagles seemed to be a shoot-out until they surrendered four runs in the final two innings to drop the opener to Missouri Southern University.
The Lady Eagles highlight for the day was freshman catcher Kirsten Scott, who went 2-3 with a homerun and 2 RBI in the game.
In the second game of the opening day, the Lady Eagles took on cross-town rival University of Central Oklahoma. Jordan Chism led the way for Oklahoma Christian, hitting 3-3 with 2 RBI.
But, despite Chism’s big game, her team dropped its second consecutive game, 13-5 to the Bronchos. A seven-run third inning propelled UCO past the Lady Eagles for the victory.
The second day started with an 18-3 victory over Emporia State University. Oklahoma Christian scored in every inning, highlighted by seven runs in the second inning.
Bridget White and Scott led the way for the Lady Eagles from the plate. White was 3-3 with 4 RBI and her first career homerun, and Scott also had 4 RBI with two doubles.
The second game was a different story. Midwestern Region powerhouse, Central Missouri University, showed a shutout performance over the Lady Eagles, who suffered a 9-0 loss. The Lady Eagles only managed two hits, one from Niki Davison and one from Alexus Vanlandingham.
Oklahoma Christian split the final day, dropping the first of the two games 6-1 to Pittsburg State University. Pitcher Kayla Eichler gave up five earned runs in four innings and Vanlandingham, Madison Nordyke and Avery Walker had one hit apiece.
The second game proved more competitive but the Lady Eagles held on late with a Kelsie Finch RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to seal the 7-5 victory.
Scott hit a homer and Madison Hagood took the victory in the circle for the Lady Eagles, her first career victory at Oklahoma Christian.
The Lady Eagles will face UCO again on Friday, Feb. 12.
Statistics provided by the Oklahoma Christian University Sports Information office.
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