COLUMBUS, Ga. – Oklahoma City University advanced past Indiana Wesleyan 6-1 on Saturday at the South Commons Complex in the NAIA Softball World Series.
Shelbey Cornelson worked a shutout until the seventh inning for OCU (52-6). The No. 2-ranked Stars meet Mobile (Ala.) in a showdown of the top two ranked teams in the NAIA at 6 p.m. CDT (7 p.m. EDT) Monday.
Cornelson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. Abby Harvey had an infield single to fill the bases with two out, but OCU's Brooklyn Mason tracked down Kamryn Buck's line drive to right field to finish the inning.
Cornelson escaped another bases-loaded situation in the fifth. Cornelson got out of the inning when Harvey grounded out to third baseman Rally Radacy.
Cornelson struck out four while conceding a run on six hits and four walks pitching all seven innings. Cornelson moved to 35-3, continuing to lead the NAIA in wins this year. Cornelson, a junior from Tuttle, Okla., has collected every decision for OCU in the postseason. She has gone 10-1 with a 0.66 earned run average while fanning 70 in 68.2 innings through the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament, NAIA Championship Opening Round and the NAIA Softball World Series.
"This is the first year she's been in the role of if you want to use that, the No. 1," OCU coach Phil McSpadden said of Cornelson. "We're all not surprised by what she's able to do, but very happy for a young lady who has spent her time living in the shadows and never in the limelight. It's her time."
Kennedy Jackson led off the bottom of the first by drawing a walk, then nabbed second and third bases. Tiffany Paul laid down a bunt towards the third-base side to bring Jackson home and put the Stars ahead 1-0.
In the fifth, OCU stretched its lead to 3-0. Lexi Duff drove in two runs with a two-out base hit through the middle of the infield.
The Stars tacked on three runs with two outs in the sixth. Jackson smacked a two-run single to left, then Radacy nailed an RBI base hit to right.
Jackson, a senior from Moore, Okla., increased her career total to 206 stolen bases, seven away from the NAIA career record held by Britney Webb from Belhaven (Miss.). Jackson turned in a 2-for-3 performance with three runs scored and two RBIs. Duff, a senior from Lone Grove, Okla., went 2-for-2 with two runs driven in. Radacy, a freshman from Lookeba, Okla., added a 2-for-4 day with an RBI.
Oklahoma City halted seventh-ranked Indiana Wesleyan's 14-game winning streak. The Stars have a 10-1 mark against ranked foes this season.
