2017 Sooner Athletic Conference softball tournament

Softball 5/2/2017 2:47:00 PM

Stars set to host SAC softball tournament

Top-ranked OCU strives for 18th SAC Tournament championship

OKLAHOMA CITY – Top-ranked Oklahoma City University opens postseason play 1 p.m. Thursday against Southwestern Christian in the Sooner Athletic Conference softball tournament at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Oklahoma City, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, comes into the tournament as the top seed after winning its third consecutive SAC regular-season title. The Stars also take on Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) at 5 p.m. Thursday, then Texas Wesleyan at 3 p.m. Friday in pool play.
The SAC Tournament championship will be held at Ann Lacy Stadium at 2 p.m. Saturday featuring the winners of the two tournament pools. OCU and St. Gregory's host the pool play happening Thursday and Friday at Ann Lacy Stadium and the Ball Fields at Firelake.
Other pool play occurring at OCU will be Texas Wesleyan vs. SAGU at 11 a.m. and Texas Wesleyan vs. Southwestern Christian at 5 p.m. Thursday, and SAGU vs. Southwestern Christian at 1 p.m. Friday.
The Stars (57-1) finished the season unbeaten against NAIA competition and 28-0 in SAC play to win their 17th SAC title. OCU won at least 55 games for the fourth straight season and the 13th overall under legendary head coach Phil McSpadden. McSpadden now has a 1,602-367 career record in 30 years at Oklahoma City to lead college softball in victories vs. four-year institutions. He took his 1,600th career win 7-1 April 25 at USAO.
St. Gregory's won last year's tournament 4-3 over Texas Wesleyan on May 7, 2016 at Ann Lacy Stadium. Oklahoma City was knocked out of the tournament after a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Lady Rams in pool play. OCU owns 17 SAC Tournament crowns.
Jaci Smith leads the Stars offensively with a .514 batting average and a .573 on-base percentage. Smith, a sophomore from Godley, Texas, currently sits in the top five in the NAIA in batting average, total hits (92), total bases (158), RBIs (74) and runs scored (66).
Kali Pugh has also been impressive for OCU offensively, leading the team with 82 RBIs, 22 home runs, 20 doubles, 100 hits, 84 runs scored, and a .909 slugging percentage. Pugh, a senior from Vista, Calif., tops the NAIA in total at bats (209), total bases (190), runs scored and RBIs. She is in the top five in the country in 11 offensive categories.
In the circle, Oklahoma City has two pitchers with more than 20 wins this season as Abby Meador is 21-1 and Georgia Wall sits at 24-0. Meador, a junior from Midwest City, Okla., leads the team with 166 strikeouts and a 0.71 earned run average, while Wall, a sophomore from Marlow, Okla., has a 0.76 ERA in 157 innings with 17 complete games and eight shutouts.
Meador and Wall sit in third and fifth, respectively, in ERA in the NAIA, while teammate Jaden Shores, a freshman from Blanchard, Okla., is fourth with a 0.71 ERA.
As a team, the Stars lead the NAIA in runs scored per game (8.14), total hits (627), runs scored (472), RBIs (423), total at bats (1632), opponents' batting average (.144) and ERA (0.74). To see how OCU stacks statistically against the rest of the NAIA, click here.
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.

Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Ann Lacy Stadium
Thursday's Games
Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) vs. Texas Wesleyan, 11 a.m.
Southwestern Christian at Oklahoma City, 1 p.m.
Southwestern Christian vs. Texas Wesleyan, 3 p.m.
Southwestern Assemblies of God at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m.
Friday's Games
Southwestern Assemblies of God vs. Southwestern Christian, 1 p.m.
Texas Wesleyan at Oklahoma City, 3 p.m.
At Shawnee, Okla.
Ball Fields at Firelake
Thursday's Games
Bacone at St. Gregory's, 11 a.m.
Mid-America Christian vs. USAO, 1 p.m.
Mid-America Christian at St. Gregory's, 3 p.m.
Bacone vs. USAO, 5 p.m.
Friday's Games
Bacone vs. Mid-America Christian, 1 p.m.
USAO at St. Gregory's, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 6
Championship
At Oklahoma City
Ann Lacy Stadium
Pool-play winners, 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#15 Jaden Shores: P; 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#15 Jaden Shores
: 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R
: P