OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 14, 2019) – A no-hitter, a grand slam and a dramatic late rally to secure a win against an archrival gave Oklahoma Christian's softball team a Valentine's Day to remember on Thursday.
Madison Hagood threw her first career no-no and Lindsey Stoeckel hit her first collegiate grand slam in an 8-0 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State in the Edmond Regional Festival II at Tom Heath Field, then the Lady Eagles stole victory from the jaws of defeat while vanquishing Southern Nazarene 5-4 in eight innings.
OC (10-1) is off to a whiz-bang start in coach Shanon Hays' first season at the helm and the Lady Eagles seem to be winning in all sorts of ways, even when trailing by four runs in the seventh inning, as they did against SNU (3-6).
"It was a crazy game," Hays said. "The second game was exciting. It was a neat finish, of course, for us. Southern Naz played really well, but it was nice to see our girls battle back and apply some pressure and figure out a way to win."
SNU managed only three hits in eight innings against OC freshman right-hander Kali Crandall (3-0), but one of those was a three-run double into the left-field corner by Skye Ah Yat that put the Crimson Storm ahead 4-0 in the fifth inning.
OC's offense struggled to find its rhythm against SNU starter Caitlyn Lewis who allowed six hits in 6 1/3 innings, but finally broke through in the seventh. Sierra Schultz just beat out an infield single to lead off and one out later, she beat a throw to second base on a ground ball by Hunter Strickland, giving the Lady Eagles two baserunners.
Brie Dunckel walked to load the bases before Kaylie Upton ripped a two-run single into right field, making it 4-2. Cheyenne Price (0-1) relieved Lewis and threw a wild pitch that allowed Dunckel to score and Upton to move to second base. Upton stole third base, then scored when a pickoff attempt by SNU catcher Brooke Stutz bounced into foul territory.
The international tiebreaker rule was used in the eighth, with a runner placed on second base to start the inning. Crandall, who had 11 strikeouts, retired the Crimson Storm in order, but OC quickly scored. Pinch-runner Sydney Smith took third on a wild pitch by Price and scored on an infield hit by Kayla Eichler.
"We had to pump them up in the (seventh) to try and at least make a go of it," Hays said. "We had some things break our way and (Upton) had a big hit. We put some decent swings on it and we manufactured some runs."
In the first game, Hagood (4-1) handcuffed Southwestern (0-4), striking out seven, walking three and never allowing a runner past second base. While it was her first individual no-hitter, she was a part of a shared no-hitter with Upton earlier this season against Texas-Permian Basin.
"She has really bought in to what we're putting on her plate," Hays said of Hagood. "She's throwing strikes. She's getting ahead with her curveball against right-handers, which has been our big emphasis since the first of the fall and she's getting really comfortable with that. Her stuff has been good and she's competing really well."
OC finally broke through against Southwestern starter Miranda Grover (0-1) in the fourth, as a double by Stoeckel, a triple by Bailey Strecker and a single by Eichler in succession put the Lady Eagles ahead 2-0.
Stoeckel came up with the bases loaded in the fifth and launched a pitch by Grover over the left-center field fence.
Another run scored on an error and Upton ended the game, hitting an RBI single to right field to score Eichler to make it 8-0, putting the run rule into effect.
Stoeckel, Strecker and Dunckel each had two hits for OC.
"Lindsey is starting to get it going," Hays said. "She's on base all the time now and showing that kind of power, especially with the wind blowing in a little bit today. She hit two big balls to kind of knock the lid off for us and allowed us to run-rule that game."
OC will return to action Saturday, hosting Northwestern Oklahoma State.
Shanon Hays discusses the games: https://youtu.be/gba8_RgEPcQ
Game highlights: https://youtu.be/btbkU8RcUBo
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