Softball Team Splits With OK Christian

OKLAHOMA CITY – Ranked No. 6 and on a 17-game winning streak, the USAO softball team got a mixed bag from a trip to Oklahoma City, splitting a conference doubleheader with Oklahoma Christian. The Drovers won the first game 8-3, but lost in the nightcap by an identical 8-3 margin.

With the split, USAO moves to 28-8 overall and 8-2 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. On Thursday, the Drovers host St. Gregory’s in a 2 p.m. conference doubleheader at Bill Smith Ballpark. This weekend, USAO is scheduled to compete in the Capital City Classic at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

In the first game, USAO scored a run in the top of the third, six in the fourth and another in the fifth for the 8-3 win. Oklahoma Christian scored two runs in the bottom of the first and one in the seventh.

USAO notched its only run of the third inning on a double by junior Dana Askins to score senior Alana Hare. A pair of home runs by junior Nikki Aguilar and junior Amanda Cotton book ended the Drovers’ six-run, fourth-inning rally.

Aguilar blasted her team-best fifth home run of the season to right field, while Cotton belted a three-run shot to left field. Mashed between the home runs, junior Courtney Foley provided two runs with her first triple of the season. In the fifth inning, senior Crystal Judkins nailed a single to right center for another Drover run.

Darling (3-for-4) was the only Drover with multiple hits in the five-run victory. As a team, USAO finished with 11 hits for the game. Askins (15-4) allowed three runs on four hits and struck out two in the complete-game victory.

Unable to get much offense going, USAO collected eight hits, but only scored three runs in the fifth inning of an 8-3 loss. Oklahoma Christian scored two in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and three in the sixth.

Askins, Judkins, and Hare scored for USAO in the fifth inning, after junior Stephanie Hey reached on a two-base error. Judkins, Foley, Askins, Cotton, Aguilar, Hare, junior Jessica Darling, and freshman Tanna Truelove had hits for USAO. Junior Kindra Gregory (13-4) allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits and struck out three in three innings for the loss. Askins allowed five runs, one earned, on six hits in three innings of relief.