OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University advanced to the Sooner Athletic Conference softball tournament championship game with a 9-1 victory over Oklahoma Baptist on Sunday at Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Stars, ranked sixth in the NAIA, play second-ranked Lubbock Christian (Texas), 51-5, in the tournament championship at 3 p.m. Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium. OCU (48-7) put together a seven-run third inning.
Kendall Hobens, Lily LaVelle and Amanda Howard each bunted for hits to load the bases. Mindy Crabaugh followed with a two-run single.
Laurin Hess drove in two more runs with a double to left field, and Ashley Wilburn had a two-run base hit. Hobens made it 7-0 with a base hit to right.
Erin Slettvet drove in another run with a grounder in the fourth. Jen Davis put the Stars up 9-1 on a base hit to left in the sixth.
Crabaugh, a senior from Edmond, Okla., went 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in two runs. Hess, a junior from Edmond, Okla., went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Hobens, a junior from Tulsa, Okla., went 2-for-3.
LaVelle, a freshman from Bridge Creek, Okla., earned the win by throwing four innings of one-hit ball. LaVelle allowed Vanessa Fortune's hit to lead off the bottom of the first, then allowed only three more runners. LaVelle (23-4) notched nine strikeouts. Wilburn threw two hitless innings to finish up, stranding two inherited runners.
Boxscore
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Hall of Fame Stadium
Friday's Results
Game 1: Southern Nazarene 6, Mid-America Christian 0
Game 2: Oklahoma Baptist 6, Northwestern 1
Game 3: St. Gregory's 6, USAO 0
Game 4: Rogers State 6, Oklahoma Christian 0
Game 5: Oklahoma City 2, Southern Nazarene 0
Game 6: Oklahoma Baptist 3, Lubbock Christian 1
Game 7: Northwestern 7, USAO 4, USAO eliminated
Game 8: Oklahoma Christian 7, Mid-America Christian 0, Mid-America eliminated
Game 9: Northwestern 1, Southern Nazarene 0, SNU eliminated
Game 10: Lubbock Christian 6, Oklahoma Christian 2, OC eliminated
Game 11: Oklahoma City 4, St. Gregory's 1
Game 12: Oklahoma Baptist 9, Rogers State 6
Sunday's Results
Game 13: Lubbock Christian 3, St. Gregory's 0, SGU eliminated
Game 14: Northwestern 5, Rogers State 2, RSU eliminated
Game 15: Oklahoma City 9, Oklahoma Baptist 1
Game 16: Lubbock Christian 8, Northwestern 0, NWOSU eliminated
Game 17: Lubbock Christian 1, Oklahoma Baptist 0, OBU eliminated
Monday's Games
At Ann Lacy Stadium
Game 18: Oklahoma City vs. Lubbock Christian, 3 p.m., championship
Game 19: Winner Game 18 vs. Loser Game 18, 5 p.m., if necessary
