Softball Team Loses to OC in SAC Title Game

ALVA – The USAO softball team came up short Friday in a bid for its second straight Sooner Athletic Conference championship. The second-seeded Drovers won the first game 7-1 over Oklahoma Christian, but lost 6-3 to the Lady Eagles in the winner-take-all championship game at Alva Recreational Complex.

With the split, USAO moves its record to 46-17 overall. This weekend, the Drovers are scheduled to compete in the NAIA Region VI tournament in Farmers Branch, Texas. Four teams from the SAC and two from the Red River Athletic Conference make up the six-team event. The tournament bracket and game times should be released early this week.

In the championship game, Oklahoma Christian erupted quickly for five runs in the first two innings and another in the top of the sixth on the way to a 6-3 win. USAO scored a run in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the sixth.

Junior pitcher Dana Askins scored the Drovers’ first run on a throwing error by OC catcher Sara Waters. Freshman outfielder Jennifer Bridgeforth crossed the plate for USAO in the sixth on an error by the Lady Eagles outfielder Sandra Darmstadt. Sophomore Morgan Skelley singled in the next at-bat to score Askins.

Askins (2-for-3) was the only Drover with multiple hits in the game. Freshman shortstop Tanna Truelove doubled in the bottom of the second for USAO’s only extra-base hit. Askins (23-9) allowed five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings for the loss. Junior Kindra Gregory allowed a run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings of relief.

USAO used a four-run rally in the top of the fourth to blow past Oklahoma Christian 7-1 and force a second game for the SAC championship. The Drovers scored two runs in the top of the first, one in the third and four in the fourth. Oklahoma Christian notched its only run in the bottom of the second.

USAO got singles from Gregory, Truelove, junior Amanda Cotton and freshman Megan McLean to score four times in the fourth inning. Askins, Skelley, Gregory and Truelove crossed the plate in the inning, as the Drovers got six hits in the frame.