GULF SHORES, Ala. – Oklahoma City University opened pool play of the NAIA softball championships by defeating Mobile (Ala.) 5-1 on Thursday at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
OCU became the first softball program to record 100 all-time wins in the NAIA Championships with a 100-36 record in 25 appearances. OCU has captured national titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007.
The ninth-ranked Stars (45-12) continue in pool play with a 4:30 p.m. contest Friday against St. Thomas (Fla.).
OCU's Lily LaVelle notched her seventh one-hitter of the year while racking up 12 strikeouts.
LaVelle, a junior from Bridge Creek, Okla., allowed Mayles Rodriguez to hit a base hit to shallow left field leading off the bottom of the first inning, then shut down Mobile the rest of the way. LaVelle hit two batters to load the bases in the first, but struck out Jessica Swanson to retire the side with no harm done.
Mobile scored in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez led off by drawing a walk, then Holli McLeod reached via a walk and Milagros Lozada got on via hit by pitch. Rodriguez scored on a balk, but LaVelle got Swanson to pop up in foul territory to end Mobile's bases-loaded threat.
LaVelle (28-8) ended the game by retiring the final eight batters in order. She walked four.
In the third, De La Torre put OCU ahead 3-0 on a base hit to center to bring in Brittany Tibbs. Tori Joyner singled to left to score Proffitt in the fourth to give the Stars a 4-1 advantage.
Brittany Caruthers hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in LaVelle in the sixth for the final margin.
De La Torre, a sophomore from Plano, Texas, went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Rounsaville, a freshman from Yukon, Okla., was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run driven in for OCU.
LaVelle went 2-for-5 and scored a run, and Lopez, a sophomore from Grand Prairie, Texas, was 2-for-4. The Stars finished with 14 hits.
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