OKLAHOMA CITY - The number nine ranked Stars kick off their season in the Southern Collegiate Sports Invitational on Friday with four games throughout the weekend in Mesquite, Texas. 
 

Schedule

Friday, Feb. 9 - #9 OCU vs Missouri Baptist | 10 AM
Friday, Feb. 9 - #9 OCU vs University of Saint Mary | 12:30 PM
Saturday, Feb. 10 - #9 OCU vs Benedictine | 12:30 PM
Saturday, Feb. 10 - #9 OCU vs #10 Midland

About the Stars 

• The Oklahoma City sofball team gears up to open its season in the Southern Collegiate Sports Invitational on Feb. 9-10 and open the 2024 campaign as the number nine ranked team in the country. 
• The 11-time national champions returns a large bulk of the roster from a season-ago after going 48-11 and seeing its season come to an end in the NAIA Opening Round finale to Midland University. 
• OCU brings back two NAIA all-amercans in Analise Rayburn and Shelbey Cornelson to this year's squad. Rayburn was named NFCA's NAIA Freshman of the Year for Region III, and was a finalist for the overall Freshman of the Year award in the NAIA. During her freshman stint she slashed a .402 average in 164 at-bats, scoring 55 runs with 66 hits, 11 doubles, five triples, nine home runs and 48 RBIs. Her RBIs and 114 total bases were second on the team.
• Senior Shelbey Cornelson will make her return to the circle after going 28-5 in 2023 with a 1.40 ERA and .94 WHIP. Her 232 strikeouts were 12th-most and her 32 wins were third-most in the NAIA.
• Other key returners for Oklahoma City include, Rally Radacy, Kaitlyn Jones, Tiffany Paul, Amy Crabaugh, Carlee Mollet and Kamryn Garvie. 
• Oklahoma City will see a major contest in game number four as they take on #10 ranked Midland who knocked the Stars out of last year's NAIA Opening Round final at Ann Lacy Stadium to send the Warriors to the World Series. 

Missouri Baptist Spartans (35-18-1 in 2023)

• Meghan  Hager - .304 AVG,  .702 OPS,  17 RBIs,  3 2B,  2 3B,  HR,  22  SB 
• Kolby Brake - .289 AVG, .943 OPS, 15 2B, 9 HR
• Alexandria Cafolla - 16-3, 145.0 IP, 1.16 ERA, 173 SO, 15 CG, 10 SHO

University of Saint Mary Spires (24-25 in 2023)

• Alexis McDaniel  - .409 AVG, 27 RBIs,  1.161 OPS,  11 2B , 7 HR, 41 SB 
• Briana Solis - .395 AVG, .417 OBP, 16 RBIs, 5 2B, 3B | 7-7, 4.81 ERA, 94.2 IP, 24 SO
• Sadie McWilliams - .379 AVG, 1.010 OPS, 27 RBIs, 8 2B, 8 3B, HR

Benedictine Ravens (27-25 in 2023)

• Kassidy James - .373 AVG, .401 OBP, 20 RBIs, 5 2B, 3 3B
• Claire Heitz - .272 AVG, 37 RBIs, 9 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR
• Kera Willoughby - 11-7, 138.1 IP, 3.44 ERA, 50 SO, 6 CG 

Midland Warriors (41-15 in 2023)

• Emily Prai - .426 AVG, .974 OPS, 6 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 22 SB
• Roni Foote - .346 AVG, 1.089 OPS, 54 RBIs, 13 2B, 15 HR
• Aliyah Rincon - 25-8, 240.2 IP, 1.66 ERA, .94 WHIP, 293 SO, 28 CG

What's Next       

• Oklahoma City will head to Wichita after this weekend's four game set and play a double-header on Friday, Feb. 16 against Friends University at 2 and 4 PM.