DECATUR, Ala. – Oklahoma City University responded to a 6-3 loss to Dickinson State (N.D.) with a pair of wins 1-0 over defending national champion Lubbock Christian (Texas) and 1-0 over Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) on Monday in the NAIA Championships at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex.
The sixth-ranked Stars (53-8) moved to a 12:30 p.m. elimination game Tuesday against third-ranked Dickinson State.
Against fourth-ranked Point Loma Nazarene, Amanda Howard drove an 0-1 pitch over the left-field fence leading off the bottom of the first inning.
Ashley Wilburn made Howard's home run hold up, scattering five hits and a walk over the full seven innings. Wilburn, a junior right-hander from Gilmer, Texas, struck out two and improved to 24-3.
Point Loma threatened in the seventh as Melissa Gomez led off with a double to the right-center gap. With one out, Tyler Lent singled, and Gomez attempted to score on the play. OCU left fielder Bianca Bryant gunned Gomez down at the plate.
Then Wilburn got Jill Schaefer to fly out to left to end the game.
OCU managed four hits as Mindy Crabaugh, Jen Davis and Erin Slettvet each reached on hits. Slettvet, a senior from Long Beach, Calif., nailed a double in the first.
Against second-ranked Lubbock Christian, the Stars took advantage of a pair of third-inning errors to score the only run of the game. Crabaugh reached on a dropped fly ball by the center fielder. Slettvet hit a ball that the second baseman threw away, allowing Crabaugh to reach home plate.
Lily LaVelle limited Lubbock Christian to two hits. LaVelle, a freshman righty from Bridge Creek, Okla., fanned eight. After giving up a fifth-inning single, LaVelle (25-5) set LCU down in order.
The Stars had four hits. Laurin Hess, Kendall Hobens, Crabaugh and Wilburn each reached on base hits.
Dickinson State jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead. Jody Lantz hit a two-run homer, while Kelly Jahn had a two-run double.
Crabaugh socked a solo homer in the third. Dickinson State scored on Nicole Marcoux's sacrifice fly in the fifth and Erika Arvizo's homer in the sixth.
Slettvet and Hess had RBI singles in the seventh, but Wilburn struck out with two runners on to end the game.
Crabaugh, a senior from Edmond, Okla., went 3-for-3 and scored twice. Slettvet went 2-for-4, and Hobens and Wilburn each were 1-for-3. LaVelle took the loss.
OCU-DSU Boxscore
OCU-LCU Boxscore
OCU-PLN Boxscore
NAIA Championships
At Decatur, Ala.
Wilson Morgan Softball Complex
Monday's Results
California Baptist 9, Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 1
Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 11, Notre Dame (Ohio) 3
Dickinson State (N.D.) 6, Oklahoma City 3
St. Gregory's 2, Lubbock Christian (Texas) 0
Notre Dame 3, Martin Methodist 0, Martin Methodist eliminated
Oklahoma City 1, Lubbock Christian 0, LCU eliminated
California Baptist 2, Point Loma Nazarene 1
St. Gregory's 7, Dickinson State 5
Dickinson State 9, Notre Dame 6, Notre Dame eliminated
Oklahoma City 1, Point Loma Nazarene 0, Point Loma eliminated
Tuesday's Games
Game 11: California Baptist vs. St. Gregory's, 12:30 p.m., field 1
Game 12: Dickinson State vs. Oklahoma City, 12:30 p.m., field 2
Game 13: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11, 5:30 p.m., field 1
Wednesday's Games
Game 14: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13, 12:30 p.m., championship, field 1
Game 15: If necessary, 30 minutes after Game 14, field 1
