OKLAHOMA CITY – The top-ranked Oklahoma City University softball team clinched its third straight regular-season Sooner Athletic Conference championship with a doubleheader sweep of Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) 15-0, 13-1 on Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Jaden Shores threw her second no-hitter of the season in game one of the twin bill to help OCU move to 53-1, 24-0 in the SAC this season.
Phil McSpadden notched career victory No. 1,598 in his 30th year as OCU coach. OCU heads to Chickasha, Okla., for a twin bill with conference rival USAO at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Shores, a freshman from Blanchard, Okla., pitched five innings while striking out eight to record her 11th win of the season and lower her NAIA-best earned run average to 0.42. Shores (11-0) finished one walk shy of throwing a perfect game.
The Stars dominated game one from the start, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to an RBI double from Jaci Smith, an RBI single from Madison Ellis and RBI groundouts from McRae Cayton and Amanda Ingram.
Oklahoma City blew the game open with six runs in the second when Raeven Clark, Kali Pugh, Smith and Cayton all homered to push the lead to 10-0.
OCU was not done, however, as they added five more runs in the third inning, Smith pounded a grand slam and Ellis had a solo shot.
In total, Oklahoma City blasted six home runs en route to its 29th shutout victory of the season.
Smith, sophomore out of Godley, Texas, led the way offensively going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, two homers a double and a career-high six RBIs.
The Stars jumped ahead early once again in game two after scoring six runs in the bottom of the first, all with two outs.
Cayton began the rally with a two-RBI double down the left field line, and was followed by RBI singles from Abby Meador, Georgia Wall and Pugh.
SAGU(14-31, 6-17 SAC) plated their only run of the doubleheader in the top of the second, but Meador was able to escape further damage.
OCU added seven runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run homer from Ellis.
Meador, a junior from Midwest City, Okla., picked up the win after allowing six hits, one unearned run and striking out eight. Meador went to 20-1.
Laci Joyner and Samantha Stallbaumer both recorded three hits in the game two win while Meador helped her own cause, driving in three runs.