OKLAHOMA CITY – Top-ranked Oklahoma City University fell 3-2 to Texas Wesleyan Friday in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Stars starter Georgia Wall carried a no-hit bid and a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Lady Rams broke the no-hitter and put across three runs to earn the walk off win. OCU, ranked No. 1 in NAIA softball, dropped to 58-2, while TWU improved to 27-28.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when the Stars scored two runs on a hit and a Lady Rams error. Laci Joyner hit a one-out double to left field and eluded a tag in the subsequent Samantha Stallbaumer fielder's choice to reach third. In the next at-bat, Shelbi Legg executed a sacrifice bunt that scored Joyner and moved Stallbaumer to second. Stephanie Koishor reached on a fielding error by TWU's third baseman, which brought Stallbaumer around to score.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, TWU's Bailey Terry hit a leadoff single to center field on a full count to notch the first Lady Rams hit. OCU's Abby Meador relieved Wall and recorded two consecutive strikeouts before walking a batter to put the tying run on first. In the next at-bat, pinch hitter Shelby Reddington drilled a game-tying double in the left-center field gap. Haley Neill followed with a game-winning single to left field, which scored pinch runner Kaley Batchlear.
Wall, a freshman from Marlow, Okla., struck out six batters and saw her inning streak without an earned run snapped at 38.2. Meador received the loss and fell to 23-1.
Legg, a senior from Mustang, Okla., went 1-for-2 with an RBI, while Joyner, a sophomore from Mustang, Okla., was 1-for-3 with a stolen base, a double and a run.
Texas Wesleyan faces St. Gregory's in the SAC Championship game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ann Lacy Stadium.
The Stars hold a spot in the NAIA Softball Championship Opening Round as a host team starting May 16 at Ann Lacy Stadium.
The NAIA Softball Championship Opening Round pairings are announced Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the tournament cost $7 for adults and $5 for students. Live stats and video will be available for all games of the tournament. Watch the games for $8.95 per game and $24.95 for a tournament pass. To follow the games, click here.
Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Ann Lacy Stadium
Thursday's Games
Texas Wesleyan 4, Mid-America Christian 1, 8 inn.
Oklahoma City 8, Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) 0
Southwestern Assemblies of God 4, Texas Wesleyan 2
Oklahoma City 10, Mid-America Christian 2
Friday's Games
Mid-America Christian 7, Southwestern Assemblies of God 2
Texas Wesleyan 3, Oklahoma City 2
At Shawnee, Okla.
Ball Fields at Firelake
Thursday's Games
USAO 4, Southwestern Christian 0
St. Gregory's 10, Bacone 0
USAO 4, Bacone 3
St. Gregory's 2, Southwestern Christian 1
Friday's Games
Southwestern Christian 8, Bacone 0
St. Gregory's 5, USAO 4
Saturday's Game
Championship
At Oklahoma City
St. Gregory's vs. Texas Wesleyan 2 p.m.
