COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Oklahoma City Stars softball team saw its 2024 season come to an end in the NAIA World Series at the hands of the University of the Cumberlands on Saturday morning at the South Commons Softball Complex.
Cumberlands (Ky.) - 4
Oklahoma City - 1
Game Summary
The Patriots opened up the first inning by putting two runs on the board after taking advantage of two errors by the OCU defense. Oklahoma City was limited to only one run for the fourth time this season while collecting five hits in the contest.
Oklahoma City stranded Kaitlyn Jones and Kamryn Garvie in scoring position in the first while leaving Amy Crabaugh on third in the second inning.
After going down in order during the third, the Stars broke through in the following frame as freshman Kindalyn Miller drove in her rookie counterpart Tara Hoehner to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
Since allowing the two runs in the first, Shelbey Cornelson retired the next nine batters while keeping the Patriots off the board until the bottom of the sixth where Cumberlands added a pair of insurance runs to put Oklahoma City away which eliminated the Stars from the NAIA World Series.
Game Notes
- Oklahoma City was held to just one run on five hits while committing two errors and leaving eight runners on base.
- Kaitlyn Jones led OCU with two hits, both being doubles as Jones finished the game 2-for-3. The Stars shortstop reached 20 doubles for the season and Saturday was the fifth time she has doubled two times in a game this season.
- Tara Hoehner wrapped up her impressive freshman campaign by going 1-for-3 with a run scored after notching a base hit in the fourth to ignite the Stars rally. Hoehner has hit safely in 11 of her last 13 games, going 18-for-37 (.486) in that span.
- Freshman Kindalyn Miller drove in the Stars only run during the fourth inning as Miller made her 25th start of the season in right field on Saturday where she went 1-for-3 with her 10th double of the season.
- Amy Crabaugh was the only Star to tab a hit in each of the two games in the World Series as Crabuagh went 1-for-3 while legging out her eighth double of the season. Crabaugh finished the season with a hit in three straight games.
- Shelbey Cornelson surrendered the loss in Saturday's meeting with Cumberlands where she allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits to go along with two walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work. Corneslon finished the season 25-5 overall with 23 complete games, 12 shutouts, and 213 strikeouts.
- Oklahoma City wrapped up the 2024 campaign with a record of 54-5 while going unbeaten at Ann Lacy Stadium for the first time since 2017 with a 28-0 record at home. The Stars finished 19-1 on the road and 7-4 at neutral sites while being the regular season Sooner Athletic Conference Champions.
