Softball 2/8/2018 9:15:00 PM

Stars aim for three-peat

Two-time defending national champion OCU begins season in Cowtown Classic

The Oklahoma City University softball dynasty is once again reloaded with another roster capable of making the program's 25th World Series appearance in 26 years and claiming a third consecutive national title.
OCU finished last season with an NAIA-record 68 wins, cruising to 47 consecutive victories to start the year before losing for the only time in 2017 to West Texas A&M, ranked in NCAA Division II, on April 18. The Stars went on to capture their 10th national championship and 17th Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament title.
Oklahoma City begins the season this weekend in the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. The Stars take on College of Saint Mary (Neb.) at 11 a.m. Friday at Gateway Park.
"People get into coaching for different reasons – and I like the interactions with the student athletes, but I love the chess match," said OCU head coach Phil McSpadden, who owns 1,613 career wins to lead the nation in college softball victories over four-year schools. "I can't say I'd want another season like last year again, but I'm also looking forward to tighter ball games, some losses and how we respond to adversity."
With 10 players returning, including first-team all-Americans Abby Meador, Jaci Smith and Georgia Wall, Oklahoma City is once again tabbed as both the favorite to win the SAC and No. 1 in the preseason NAIA rankings. OCU has owned the top spot in the NAIA rankings for 15 consecutive polls – the longest streak by an NAIA program since Concordia (Calif.) went 18 consecutive weeks at No. 1 that spanned the 2013-14 seasons.
"We return some good players, but we lost six starters from last year's team," McSpadden said. "We've never had to replace that many people before. I'm very much aware that we've got a very good ball club, but right now, I don't know if we're No. 1."
Meador and Wall will lead the Stars in the circle. Meador, a senior from Midwest City, Okla., finished last year with a record of 22-1 and a 0.79 earned run average. She looks to join Jill Vaughn, Andrea Drake and Christie Liu Xuqing this season as the only four-time all-Americans in school history.
Wall, a junior from Marlow, Okla., is a two-time all-American after finishing last year 33-0 with a 0.64 ERA. She finished in the top-10 in the nation six different statistical categories including wins, ERA, opponents' batting average, saves and hits allowed per nine innings.
"I'm expecting the same type of production and maybe some improvements over last year," McSpadden said of his three returning all-Americans. "And that's going to mean so much for us because we know how much the game is in the circle."
The Stars begin the season on Friday at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. OCU opens against St. Mary (Neb.) at 11 a.m., against Briar Cliff (Iowa) at 3 p.m. and McPherson (Kan.) at 7 p.m.
Here's a position by position breakdown of the rest of the team:

Pitching

Joining Meador and Wall in the circle for Oklahoma City will be Jaden Shores, a sophomore from Blanchard, Okla. She was named SAC freshman of the year last season thanks to a perfect 13-0 record and a 0.86 ERA.
"Our strength is obviously going to be our pitching," McSpadden said. "I think I'll be able to count on Jaden more in clutch situations this year. She looks like she's been throwing the ball a lot better."
Together, the three-headed monster of Meador, Shores and Wall will provide Oklahoma City with ample chances to win ball games.

Infield

Smith will lead the Stars' infield behind the plate, but is joined by fellow returnees Raeven Clark, Laci Joyner, Montana Price and Bailey Whitmore.
Smith, a junior from Godley, Texas, took home NAIA catcher of the year last season and boasted of a team-best .516 batting average and 111 hits. She ended the year on a 14-game hitting streak and recorded at least one hit in 54 of the 68 games she played in 2017. Smith is also expected to see time in the outfield when needed.
"Jaci will be one of our most exciting hitters," McSpadden said. "She's the one that's got legitimate long-ball power and is quick enough to bunt around."
Clark, Joyner and Whitmore all finished last year hitting .297 or better and combined to tally 83 RBIs. Clark is expected to share time behind the plate, while Joyner and Whitmore will take on duties along the base paths. Price, a redshirt freshman from Bethel, Okla., gives the Stars help at third base.
"I'm hoping to have a big year out of Laci," McSpadden said. "She's always been a solid ball player for us and now she's in her senior year we're hoping she'll elevate her game even more."
Newcomers Mackenzie Martinelli and Brittany Perez will help fill the middle of the infield for the Stars. Perez, a junior transfer from Ventura (Calf.), is likely to start at second base, but also spend time at shortstop. Martinelli, a freshman from Sacramento, Calif., is expected to split time at third base with Price and shortstop with Joyner and Perez.

Outfield

In the outfield for Oklahoma City will be Julianne Abeloe, Kayla Gallagher, Sha Ingram, Kennedy Jackson and Baileigh Loux. Meador and Smith are likely to provide depth at both center field and right field.
Ingram and Jackson will share time in left field, Loux will spend most of her time in center field and Abeloe and Gallagher in right field. Ingram, a junior from Blanchard, Okla., hit .429 last season with 15 runs and five stolen bases. Gallagher, a sophomore from Oklahoma City, is also projected to give OCU a boost running the bases.
Newcomers Abeloe, Jackson and Loux all had successful seasons hitting in 2017. Abeloe, a junior transfer from Ventura (Calif.), hit .393 with 96 hits, 15 doubles, 12 triples, four homeruns and 52 RBIs last year. Jackson and Loux, both freshman, come off strong senior seasons at their respective high schools.
"I fully expect Baileigh to get her bat in the lineup and Julianne is right there on the bubble," McSpadden said. "Kennedy is a tough out – she may not hit the ball out of the yard but she's a speed kid who does a good job making contact and making something happen. I think she's going to have a good year."
Freshmen Sierra Jones and Shelby Riggs are projected to redshirt this season for Oklahoma City.

The SAC season will conclude with its championship tournament featuring two different brackets with the winners advancing to the championship game May 5. The winner of the conference tournament will receive an automatic berth into the NAIA Championship Opening Round which runs May 14-16.
"I think we're going to be better one through nine than we were a year ago," McSpadden said. "We're not going to have as much production one through four or five, but were going to be better one through nine. That's the strength of our lineup – there's not an easy out."

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Players Mentioned

#2 Kayla Gallagher: OF; 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/R

#3 Sha Ingram: INF; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

#7 Laci Joyner: INF; 5' 9"; Senior; R/R

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

#4 Montana Price: INF; 5' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#19 Jaden Shores: P/INF; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

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

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

#14 Bailey Whitmore: C/INF; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

#8 Brittany Perez: INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#11 Julianne Abeloe: OF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#6 Sierra Jones: OF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#2 Kayla Gallagher
: 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#3 Sha Ingram
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: INF

#7 Laci Joyner
: 5' 9"; Senior; R/R
: INF

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

#4 Montana Price
: 5' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: INF

#19 Jaden Shores
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/INF

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

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

#14 Bailey Whitmore
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: C/INF

#8 Brittany Perez
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#11 Julianne Abeloe
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#6 Sierra Jones
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: OF