Stars seek World Series berth in Opening Round

No. 2-rated OCU faces Dickinson State at 1 p.m. Monday

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University strives for an NAIA Softball World Series berth in the NAIA Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket starting Monday at Ann Lacy Stadium.
No. 2-ranked OCU, 20th-ranked Ottawa (Kan.), No. 25 Midland (Neb.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) square off for a World Series bid in a double-elimination tournament that runs until Wednesday. The title game will be 11 a.m. Wednesday and the if-necessary game 1 p.m. also Wednesday.
The Stars (43-4) took the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship for the 10th time. Oklahoma City ranks among the top five in the NAIA with a 1.12 earned run average (second), .371 batting average (third) and a .193 opponents' batting average (fourth). Kennedy Jackson became SAC player of the year to highlight 10 Stars honored by the conference. Jackson, a senior from Moore, Okla., ranks fifth in the NAIA with 40 stolen bases.
Phil McSpadden has led OCU to a 1,788-391 record in his 34th year as head coach. McSpadden owns the most wins against four-year schools by a college softball coach ever. The Stars prevailed 3-1 over Morningside (Iowa) on March 6 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City to notch McSpadden win No. 1,750. Oklahoma City has racked up 10 national titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2016 and 2017.
Midland collected its national-tournament bid after taking the Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season championship, while Ottawa captured the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title. Dickinson State became the North Star Athletic Conference Tournament champion. Ottawa edged the Stars 1-0 on March 6 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City in a game shortened to six innings due to a time limit in the Red Dirt Classic.

NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Oklahoma City
Ann Lacy Stadium
All Times CDT
Monday's Games
Game 1: No. 2 Midland (Neb.) (38-8) vs. No. 3 Ottawa (Kan.) (41-5), 11 a.m.
Game 2: No. 4 Dickinson State (N.D.) (34-13) at No. 1 Oklahoma City (43-4), 1 p.m.
Tuesday's Games
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 1 p.m.
Game 5: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 3 p.m.
Wednesday's Games
Championship
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 7: If necessary, 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Kennedy Jackson: INF; 5' 1"; Senior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#1 Kennedy Jackson
: 5' 1"; Senior; L/R
: INF

Players Mentioned

#1 Kennedy Jackson

Players Mentioned

#1 Kennedy Jackson