CHICKASHA, Okla. – Oklahoma City University dropped both ends of a doubleheader to top-ranked USAO on Saturday in a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2 at Bill Smith Ballpark.
The Stars, ranked No. 2 in NAIA softball, dropped game one 4-2 and fell 7-6 in the nightcap. OCU moved to 22-4 overall and 4-2 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
USAO (21-0, 8-0 SAC), rated first in the nation, rallied back to win both game scoring four runs in the sixth inning or later during each game.
In game one the Stars got both of their runs in the second inning when Morgan McCallum and Brittany Perez went back-to-back with solo homerun.
In the bottom of the sixth, Emily Cerny reached on an infield single to drive in Alexis Barnabe. Then Dakota Clouse reached on an error, which allowed Tarah Madron to score the tying run.
Destinie Lookout ended the game with a two run home run driving in Rhylee Vandiver in the seventh.
Perez, a senior from Ventura, Calif., had a 2-of-5 day with scoring three runs, two walks, an RBI and a home run, and McCallum, a junior from Mesquite, Texas, went 2-for-6 on the day with a home run in each game, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Jaden Shores, a junior from Blanchard, Okla., threw 6.1 innings, struck out eight, surrendered four hits and gave up four runs, three earned in game one, then came in and threw the final 1.2 innings in game two allowing two unearned runs on two hits, while striking out three. Shores saddled with both loses Saturday dropped to 11-3 on the season. Kylie Dodson, a freshman from Mustang, Okla., started game two throwing five innings giving up nine hits, five runs, four earned and struck out two.
In game two, OCU scored early getting a run in each of the first three innings. Bailey Whitmore singled down the right field line to drive in Jaci Smith in the first, in the second inning Julianne Abeloe reach on a successful squeeze bunt scoring Perez, then in the third Baileigh Loux was hit by the pitch with bases loaded to force home Gaby Zucchiatti.
USAO battled back in their half of the fourth to tie the Stars at 3-3, when Darci Chester walked to force home Cassidy Bennett, next Lookout scored when Madron was walked, then Clouse reached on an error which allowed Karmyn Pearn to score.
Oklahoma City retook the lead in the fifth when Abeloe grounded to the shortstop driving in Perez. In the sixth inning McCallum gave OCU a 6-3 lead when she launched a two-run home run down the left field line scoring Smith.
In the sixth inning the Drovers climbed back into the game when Alyson Clemence doubled to left center driving in Madron, then Keely Kingsley reached on a fielder's choice allowing Clemence to advance to third, who then came home to score on the play when the throw sailed down the left field line past third base.
USAO rallied in the seventh tying the game on a two out error, which Pearn scored to tie the game at 6-6 and then a pitch later Madron scored on a wild pitch.
Oklahoma City will return to action Tuesday at 2 p.m. in McPherson, Kan. against Central Christian at the Central Christian College softball complex.