Softball 5/10/2016 8:55:00 PM

Stars host NAIA Championship Opening Round OKC Bracket

OCU competes for NAIA Softball World Series bid May 16-18

OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University makes a bid for the NAIA Softball World Series when it hosts the NAIA Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket starting Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Top-ranked Oklahoma City, No. 20 Houston-Victoria, 25th-ranked Friends (Kan.) and Doane (Neb.) make up the field in the double-elimination tournament with a World Series berth at stake. The championship game will be noon Wednesday, May 18 with an if-necessary game set for 3 p.m. that day.
The Stars (58-2) held onto the No. 1 ranking for the sixth consecutive week. OCU had reeled off two 29-game win streaks this year.
Oklahoma City features Sooner Athletic Conference pitcher of the year Abby Meador, SAC newcomer of the year Kali Pugh and conference freshman of the year Georgia Wall among nine all-SAC choices. Madison Ellis, Kyndra Holasek, Leslie Miller and Jaci Smith took first-team all-league acclaim.
Meador, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., has gone 23-1 with a 0.98 earned run average while topping the NAIA in opponents' batting average (.106) and fewest average hits allowed (2.44 per nine innings).
OCU leads the NAIA in home runs per game (1.18), runs scored (522), hits (664), runs batted in (451), ERA (0.88) and batters struck out (485) this season. To see how the Stars stack up with the rest of the NAIA statistically, click here. OCU meets Doane at 3 p.m. Monday.
Phil McSpadden has guided Oklahoma City to a 1,536-363 record, 12 55-win seasons and eight national championships in his 29th year as head coach. McSpadden owns the most wins against four-year schools in college softball. OCU has won national titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007 while finishing as national runner-up five times in 28 World Series appearances.
Haley Beam spearheads Houston-Victoria, sporting team highs with a .412 batting average, nine homers, 45 RBIs and a 1.70 ERA. Beam picked up a first-team all-Red River Athletic Conference selection while going 17-5. Houston-Victoria (36-13) reeled in the sixth available at-large opening-round bid.
Friends advanced to the Opening Round by winning its second consecutive Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title. KCAC player of the year Christina Downs sparks Friends (35-12) with her .369 batting clip, four homers and 27 RBIs.
Doane (31-15) reached the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament title game to earn its way to the Opening Round. Ellie Doughty has become Doane's all-time strikeout leader with 443 while posting a 16-8 record, 1.71 ERA and 135 strikeouts this year.
The NAIA Softball World Series field will include the 10 champions from the Opening Round. The World Series runs May 27-June 2 in Sioux City, Iowa.
Tickets to the Oklahoma City Bracket will cost $10 for adults and $7 for students 18 and under. Fans can watch the games via live video stream at a cost of $8.95 per game with a $19.95 tournament pass.

NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Oklahoma City
Ann Lacy Stadium
Monday's Games
Game 1: Friends (Kan.) vs. Houston-Victoria, noon
Game 2: Oklahoma City vs. Doane (Neb.), 3 p.m.
Tuesday, May 17
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, noon
Game 7: If necessary, 3 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#16 Madison Ellis: INF; 5' 8"; Junior; R/R

#2 Kyndra Holasek: INF; 5' 7"; Senior; L/R

#12 Abby Meador: P; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

#17 Leslie Miller: INF/P; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#18 Georgia Wall: P; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#19 Kali Pugh: INF; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

#20 Jaci Smith: C; 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R

Players Mentioned

#16 Madison Ellis
: 5' 8"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#2 Kyndra Holasek
: 5' 7"; Senior; L/R
: INF

#12 Abby Meador
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#17 Leslie Miller
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: INF/P

#18 Georgia Wall
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#19 Kali Pugh
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#20 Jaci Smith
: 5' 8"; Freshman; L/R
: C