YUKON, OKLA.—The Oklahoma City University softball team opened its Sooner Athletic Conference tournament play as the two seed and as a host school. Yukon High School hosted the OCU side of the bracket on Friday due to weather and subpar field conditions at Ann Lacy Stadium. In game one, the Stars squared off against the seventh-seeded Nelson University Lions. OCU advanced as the game one winner to play the three seed, the Evangels of Mid-America Christian University.
Game One: Oklahoma City 2, MACU 0
Top Performers
Tiffany Paul: 2-3, RBI, 3B (2)
Emersen Heron: 7.0 IP, CG, SO, 3 K, 2 H, 0 ER
After multiple weather delays, the Stars got their postseason underway with a 2-0 victory against the Lions of Nelson University. Strong pitching and timely offense helped OCU capture a win in their opening game of the SAC softball tournament. Emersen Heron collected her 19th win of the season and notched her ninth shutout of the season.
Game one did not feature an abundance of offense, but the two runs scored by the Stars proved to be enough, paired with the strong pitching performance by Heron.
Both runs scored by OCU came in the bottom of the second inning. First, Carlee Mollett reached on a fielder's choice to the Nelson shortstop, scoring Rally Radacy on the play. Then the Stars scratched across another run when Tiffany Paul tripled (her second of the game) to right field and brought Mollett across home plate.
Neither team had much success in generating base runners; the Lions and Stars combined for seven base runners, and six of those were left on base.
Heron recorded one, two, and three innings in the last five innings of the ballgame after surrendering two hits early in the game, one in the first inning and another in the second inning. The starting pitcher for the Stars punched three Nelson hitters out and walked zero batters on 62 pitches thrown.
OCU played solid defense and recorded a clean fielding day. Early offense by the Stars helped pave the way to victory in the opening game of the SAC tournament.
Game 2: Oklahoma City 7, MACU 5
Top Performers
Analise Rayburn: 3-3, R, 4 RBI, BB, HR, 2B
Carlee Mollett: 2-3, R, 2B, SB
In game two, OCU secured a spot in the winner's bracket game scheduled for Saturday. MACU scored first, but OCU was able to capitalize on crooked numbers in the third and sixth innings to force the Evangels into the elimination game scheduled for 3 PM on Saturday.
The Evangels scored their first run of the game in the top of the third inning when Hallie Wilson sent a double to center field, scoring Kisbel Vizcaya. OCU answered in the bottom of the inning with three runs to take a two-run lead. Stars' backstop, Tiffany Paul, tied the game at one with a solo shot, then Analise Rayburn connected on a two-run blast that gave the Stars their first lead of the game. Paul and Rayburn are second and third in the country for home runs hit.
Three innings went by without a run scored by either team until MACU pulled within one run with the help of Isabel Ray's double that scored Makenzie Thurman in the sixth inning.
OCU collected multiple insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, starting with a Tara Hoehner single up the middle, resulting in Paul and Carlee Mollett scoring. Yukon native, Rayburn added to the Stars' lead when she doubled through the middle of the infield and collected two more RBI in the game, extending the OCU lead to 7-2.
In a last-ditch effort to keep the game alive in the top half of the seventh inning, MACU clawed its way back and attempted a boisterous comeback. The Evangels notched two singles with one out, creating traffic on the bases, and then MACU executed a double steal of second and third. The second out of the inning came from a popup in the infield by pinch-hitter Heidi Noisey. With the very next batter, MACU tallied three runs scored when Kayten Herman homered to left center field. Madisson Chavez kept the inning alive for the Evangels with two outs with her single to second base. Ultimately, the game would end with a popup to second base, giving the Stars a 7-5 win in the fourth and final game of Friday night.
Emersen Heron pitched all seven innings in game two and all 14 innings for the Stars during their two games on Friday. The Stars' pitcher notched her 19th and 20th wins of the 2025 season.
Next Up
Oklahoma City will return home to Ann Lacy Stadium on Saturday and is scheduled to play at 6 PM. OCU will face the winner of the 3 PM elimination game between Southwestern Christian and MACU.
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