ALLEN, Texas – No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University began the season with three wins in the Southern Collegiate Sports Invitational on Friday at Allen Station Complex. 

The Stars, top-ranked in NAIA softball, blanked Baker (Kan.) 5-0 in the season opener, then topped 16th-ranked Columbia (Mo.) 10-2 and Oklahoma Wesleyan 9-7. 

Shelbey Cornelson shut down Baker on three hits to earn her first victory of the year. Cornelson, a senior from Tuttle, Okla., studying exercise science, struck out 11.  

In the fifth inning, right fielder Brooklyn Mason preserved the Stars' shutout by throwing out a runner trying to score from third base to close out the inning. 

OCU got out to a 2-0 first-inning lead on Lexi Duff's two-run single into center field with two out. 

The Stars tacked on three more runs in the fourth. Mallory McCoy reached home plate on Mason's infield hit with the bases loaded. Analise Rayburn brought home two more runs on a base hit to left. 

Oklahoma City completes the weekend with a 10 a.m. game vs. Bellevue (Neb.) and a 12:25 p.m. contest against Lyon (Ark.) at the Allen Station Complex.