OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City softball team earned a sweep over Oklahoma Wesleyan in its 2024 home opener as the Stars extended its winning streak over the Eagles to 26 games in a row.
Oklahoma City 15, Oklahoma Wesleyan 1
W: Shelbey Cornelson (3-0)
L: Maddy Wiese (4-2)
Key Leaders
- Tara Hoehner – 3-3, 2B 3 RBIs, 2 R
- Baliegh Loux – 1-2, 2 RBIs, 2 R
- Tiffany Paul – 1-3, 2 RBIs, 2 R
- Shelbey Cornelson – W, 5.0 IP, 6 H, R, BB, 6 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
Oklahoma City (5-0) wasted no time heating up in its first game at Ann Lacy Stadium this season. The Stars put up six runs in the bottom of the first after sending six batters to the plate. Mallory McCoy and Tiffany Paul slashed two RBI base knocks in the inning to help go up 6-0.
OCU saw an even bigger inning come in the bottom of the third with seven runs crossing the plate. The Stars scored on four straight at-bats as Baleigh Loux drove in her second run of the day while freshman Tara Hoehner notched her second double to bring in the final run of the inning to take a 13-0 lead.
Oklahoma Wesleyan (7-4) got on the board for the first and only time in the top of the fourth inning thanks to an RBI single by Maddy Wiese.
OCU tacked on two more in the bottom half of the fourth as Kindalyn Miller stepped in the box for a pinch-hit opportunity. Miller secured a single up the middle to bring in Iliana Ashford before Miller scored on a bases-loaded walk for the 15th run of the game.
GAME NOTES
- Oklahoma City scored a season-high 15 runs on a season-best 14 RBIs.
- Shelbey Cornelson earned her third victory of the season while allowing one run on six hits while striking out her second-highest total of the season six batters.
- Tara Hoehner was the only Star in game one to have multiple base hits as the freshman earned multiple hits for the fourth time in five games while adding a season-high three RBIs.
- Iliana Ashford came off the bench and provided a pinch-hit double to extend her hitting streak to five games.
- Oklahoma City saw five players score more than once while four of its hitters earned multiple RBIs.
- With the win, Oklahoma City won its 25th straight game over Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Oklahoma City 4, Oklahoma Wesleyan 2
W: Emersen Heron (2-0)
L: Saige Smith (1-1)
Key Leaders
HOW IT HAPPENED
Oklahoma Wesleyan (7-5) cracked the scoreboard first, with both runs in the top half of the second inning. Jamie Keeling of the Eagles slashed a two-RBI double which gave OKWU its first lead of the day and already topped its run total from game one.
It took a little longer for the Stars to get going as OCU saw its first set of runs come in the fourth inning. With two on and two out Tiffany Paul delivered in the clutch with a single to left center that brought home both runs to tie the game at two apiece.
In the fifth, Oklahoma City (6-0) saw its first two batters go down, however, Rally Radacy kept the inning alive with a double to left center. After stealing third, Radacy represented the go-ahead run for senior Kamryn Garvie who was able to drive in her teammate to take the lead. The Stars added one more run for insurance with a double by Baileigh Loux which brought in Garvie to take the 4-2 lead.
The Eagles only added one more hit in the final two innings as starting pitcher Emersen Heron shut the door on OKWU to sweep the two-game set.
GAME NOTES
- Oklahoma City is to a 6-0 start to its 2024 season, having its best start since 2022 when the Stars began the year 18-0.
- Baleigh Loux and Tara Hoehner collected two hits each and became the only Stars in game two with more than one hit.
- Hoehner extended her hitting streak to five games as the freshman holds the team lead in batting average (.667), hits (12), and doubles (4) while claiming multiple hits in five of six games this season.
- Baleigh Loux added a pair of hits in game two to extend her hitting streak out to six games, earning a hit in every game this season.
- Senior Kamryn Garvie delivered a clutch base hit to put the Stars in the lead as Garvie has knocked in a run for three straight games and scored twice in each of the last four contests.
- Emersen Heron went the distance of a full seven innings for the first time this season while allowing six hits and two runs while striking out three.
- With the win, OCU extended its winning streak to 26 wins in a row over the Eagles.
WHAT'S NEXT
Oklahoma City remains at home for a weekend series against Central Christian with a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 23 at 2 & 4 PM followed by two more on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 12 & 2 PM.
