Softball Team Sweeps Twin Bill at SNU

BETHANY – After coming from behind to win the first game, the USAO softball team had an easier time in the nightcap Tuesday to sweep a doubleheader over Southern Nazarene. The Drovers won the first game 8-4, and followed with an 8-0 victory in the second at Cypert Athletic Complex.

With the sweep, USAO improves its record to 35-10 overall and 11-3 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Today, the Drovers host Oklahoma Baptist in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Bill Smith Ballpark. This weekend, USAO is scheduled to compete in the Pittsburg State, Kan., Tournament.

In Tuesday’s first game, USAO trailed 4-3 through six innings, but scored five runs in the top of the seventh for the 8-4 victory. The Drovers also scored a run in the top of the second and two in the top of the third. Southern Nazarene scored once in the bottom of the fourth, and added three in the fifth.

Junior Dana Askins got things started in the Drovers’ five-run, seven-inning rally with a double to score junior Courtney Foley, who reached on a single. Sophomore Morgan Skelley doubled to score Askins, and junior Nikki Aguilar followed with a triple to score Skelley. Aguilar scored when freshman Jennifer Bridgeforth reached on an error.

In the next at-bat, junior Kindra Gregory singled to score Bridgeforth to complete the rally. Junior Amanda Cotton scored the Drovers’ run in the second, while Foley and Skelley scored in the third. Skelley (3-for-4), Foley (2-for-3) and Aguilar (2-for-4) had multiple hits. Askins (18-5) struck out 10 and allowed four runs on eight hits in the win.

USAO’s defense and pitching clamped down in the nightcap, and the Drovers scored three runs in the first and five in the fifth for the 8-0 run-rule victory. Southern Nazarene managed just two hits, as the Storm became the Drovers’ 20^th shutout victim.

Skelley got things started in the first with a single to score senior Crystal Judkins, and Gregory finished off the inning with a single to score Skelley and Askins. In the fifth, Skelley tripled to score Askins, and scored on an Aguilar triple. Junior Stephanie Hey ended the frame with a double to score freshman Megan McLean and Gregory.

Judkins (3-for-4), Askins (2-for-3), and Skelley (2-for-3) had multiple hits in the game. Gregory (17-5) struck out four and allowed two hits in her 10^th shutout of the season.