Chickasha, Okla. – While winter gripped the upper plains this past weekend, the McPherson College softball team headed south to Chickasha, Oklahoma for four games in a tournament that was hastily put together and hosted by the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO).
The Bulldogs got matched up with USAO, Lindenwood-Belleville University, Mount Marty College, and Oklahoma City University, and went 2-2 on the weekend. OCU and USAO were ranked #1 and #2 respectively in the NAIA preseason top 25 poll.
The Bulldogs opened the weekend taking on the #2 team in the nation, and defending NAIA champs. The Mac ladies went toe to toe with the champs, but ended up a couple of runs short, falling 3-1 to the Drovers.
Christie Betker (Jr. Reno, Nev.), was in the circle, and ended up with the loss. She pitched a complete game, giving up three runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
Offensively the Bulldogs cranked out seven hits, but were only able to push across one run. Six of the seven Bulldogs hits came from
Jessica Jones (Jr. Brentwood, Calif.),
Kylecia Taylor (So. Ft. Hood, Texas), and
Destiny Bacon (So. La Mesa, Calif.), who each went 2 for 3. Jones scored the only Bulldog run, Taylor had the only RBI, and Bacon had the only extra base hit, a double.
Bulldog head coach,
Tony Segovia summed up game one, saying "I thought we played well. Didn't make a lot of mistakes that hurt us. We just couldn't find the timely hit that we needed. We pitched it well, just couldn't get a break against a very good team."
Games two, three, and four were played back to back to back on Sunday. The Bulldogs opened day two at 11:00 am against the Lindenwood-Bellville Lynx. It was a rough start to the day for the Bulldogs offensively, who were shut out by the Lynx, 6-0, and were able to only muster two hits in the game. Both hits were singles, recorded by Taylor, and
Jenna Christensen (So. Fortuna, Calif.). In the circle for the Bulldogs was
Sydney Lang, (Sr. Topeka, Kan.). She went six innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Segovia commented on game two saying, "Offensively we just didn't have it. Give them credit they swung the bats well and had 1 really big inning that would be all they needed".
Against the Mount Marty Lancers, the Bulldogs were in danger of being shut out again, and losing their third game in a row. Mac trailed MMC 4-0 through four and a half innings, before finally ending the scoring drought in the bottom of the fifth inning. With that run, the Bulldog offense woke up, and an inning later, they put up five more and ended up defeating the Lancers 6-4.
Betker was once again the circle, and this time she picked up the win. She pitched another complete game, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on five hits. The offense was led by Jones, who was a perfect 3 for 3 from the dish with a walk and a run scored. Christensen also recorded multiple hits, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and three more batted in on a home run in the fifth inning.
"I was super proud of the comeback these kids showed" said Segovia. "We had one bad inning and they got on top 4-1. It was nice to have a big two out rally to score five and take the lead. Hopefully we can carry this momentum and break through with our hitting!"
After starting the weekend against the #2 team in the nation, the Bulldogs finished by taking on the nations' top team, the Stars of Oklahoma City University. The Stars have been one of the NAIA's top teams over the past 25 years, with a total of 10 national championships. The won back to back championships in 2016 and 2017, and were on their way to three in a row before being upset by USAO last year.
They Bulldogs were not intimidated, and continuing their momentum from the game with Mount Marty, they took down the #1 team, 5-2, with timely hits, and strong defensive play.
Brittany Baroni (Jr. Galt, Calif.) and Lang were in the circle, combining for the win. Baroni got the start, and worked the first five innings, holding the Stars to two runs, one earned, on six hits. Lang came on in relief of Baroni in the sixth inning, pitching the final two frames, shutting out the Stars and giving up just three hits, earning the save.
The Bulldog offense was very efficient, scoring five runs on six hits, led by Jones again, who was 2 for 4 with a run scored. The Bulldogs also had three extra base hits, all doubles by Christensen,
Maile Deutsch (So. Palmer, Texas), and
Ali Smith (Jr. Lodi, Calif.).
"So happy for the kids to be able to enjoy this moment" commented Coach Segovia. "I have the upmost respect for Coach Phil McSpadden and what Oklahoma City softball is all about. I told the players you can sometimes go your whole college career and never get a chance to play the best in the county, but to win is a different story. They will remember this moment for a lifetime. A great win for our program and we hope to carry this momentum throughout the season!"
With the weekend split, the Bulldogs now find themselves at 4-5 on the season. They were originally schedule to take part in the Friends University Tournament next weekend, but with poor weather forecasted for Saturday, the tournament has been limited to just Friday, and the Bulldogs have elected not to play. Instead, they are looking for other opportunities to play multiple games further south where the weather is supposed to be a little nicer. Those games and opponents have yet to be determined.
