Softball Team Takes 2^nd In Capital City Classic

OKLAHOMA CITY – After breezing through the first four games, the USAO softball team faced a tougher challenge Saturday night from Oklahoma City in the championship game of the Capital City Classic. The sixth-ranked Drovers lost 3-1 to the eighth-ranked starts for the tournament title.

With the 4-1 record in the six-team tournament, USAO improves its record to 33-10 overall. On Tuesday, the Drovers are at Southern Nazarene for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. Oklahoma Baptist comes to Bill Smith Ballpark on Thursday for a 1 p.m. twin bill, before the Drovers compete in the Pittsburg State, Kan., tournament this weekend.

In its other game on Saturday, USAO easily defeated Newman, Kan., 8-0 in five innings. On Friday, the Drovers posted a 10-1 run-rule win over Bethany, Kan., a 2-0 win over conference-rival Oklahoma Christian, and a 5-0 win over No. 20 Lee, Tenn.

No. 8 Oklahoma City 3, No. 6 USAO 1 (championship)

After three scoreless innings, Oklahoma City scored one run each in the top of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and USAO notched a run in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-1 margin. Senior Crystal Judkins drove in the Drovers’ sixth-inning run on a groundout to score freshman Tanna Truelove.

USAO had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the third, when the Drovers loaded the bases with no outs. Junior Jessica Darling was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and advanced to second on Judkins’ bunt single. Freshman Jennifer Bridgeforth followed with a single to load the bases for junior Dana Askins.

But, Askins struck out, and junior pinch runner Courtney Foley was forced out at the plate on a ground ball from junior Nikki Aguilar. Sophomore Morgan Skelley popped up the shortstop to end the inning. Judkins (1-for-4), Bridgeforth (1-for-4), Skelley (1-for-4), junior Stephanie Hey (1-for-2) and Darling (1-for-2) had hits for USAO. Askins (17-5) allowed three runs on nine hits and struck out six in the loss.

No. 6 USAO 8, Newman, Kan. 0

USAO scored three runs in the top of the first, two in the second and three more in the fifth for the 8-0 run-rule win over Newman, Kan., Saturday. Skelley’s two-run double, which scored Askins and Bridgeforth, highlighted the Drovers’ first-inning rally, and junior Kindra Gregory’s single to score Skelley finished off the inning.

In the second inning, Bridgeforth singled to score Truelove, and scored a batter later on a double by Askins. The Drovers closed out the game with a three-run, fifth-inning rally, highlighted by Hey’s double to score Darling and Gregory. Judkins completed the inning with an RBI groundout to score Hey.

Bridgeforth (2-for-3), Askins (2-for-4), Skelley (2-for-3), and Gregory (2-for-2) had multiple hits for USAO. Askins, Skelley, Gregory, Hey and Truelove also had extra-base hits in the game. Gregory (16-5) struck out four and scattered four hits in the five-inning, complete-game shutout.

No. 6 USAO 10, Bethany, Kan. 1

USAO used a six-run rally in the top of the sixth to complete a 10-1 run-rule win over Bethany, Kan., on Friday night. The Drovers also added a run in the first, two in the second and one in the fifth. Gregory belted her first home run of the season to left field to open the sixth inning.

Three batters later, Judkins provided two runs on a single to score Truelove and senior Alana Hare. Skelley doubled to score Judkins, and scored a batter later on a triple by Aguilar. Judkins (3-for-4), Aguilar (2-for-3), and Gregory (2-for-3) had multiple hits. Gregory (15-5) struck out five and allowed a run on five hits in the win.

No. 6 USAO 2, Oklahoma Christian 0

With two outs and two on base in the bottom of the third, junior Amanda Cotton hit what should have been an inning-ending pop fly to second base. Instead, Oklahoma Christian’s Heather Meyer dropped the ball, allowing Truelove and Darling to score for a 2-0 win Friday afternoon.

Truelove’s single was the Drovers’ only hit in the inning, while Darling reached on an error by the OC shortstop Alissa Harper. USAO scattered three hits over the remaining six innings. Askins (2-for-3) had half the Drovers’ total, while Skelley (1-for-2) and Truelove (1-for-2) had the others. Gregory (14-5) allowed two hits in the win.

No. 6 USAO 5, No. 20 Lee, Tenn. 0

USAO scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two in the fifth for a 5-0 win Friday over No. 20 Lee, Tenn., in the first game of the Capital City Classic. Gregory’s two-out, two-run single highlighted the fourth inning rally, scoring Hey and Aguilar. Skelley’s sacrifice fly scored Askins for the other run of the inning.

Judkins scored in the fifth inning on a two-base throwing error by Lee third baseman JaAndrea Hinton. In the next at-bat, Aguilar reached on a fielder’s choice to score Bridgeforth. Judkins, Askins, Aguilar, Hey, Gregory, and Cotton each had hits. Askins (17-4) struck out seven and allowed two in hits in the complete-game win.