Oklahoma Christian University Softball splits day with 8-3 win over No. 8 Central Oklahoma

Karsyn Iltis/Softball | Oklahoma Christian University

By Press release submission

Feb 7, 2023

The Eagles opened their second day at the DII Spring Invitational the same way they did yesterday, with a win over a ranked opponent.

Game 1: OC 8, NO. 8 UCO 3

Oklahoma Christian poured it on the No. 8 team in the nation with seven runs in the first two innings, taking a 7-1 advantage over the Bronchos.

Whitney Walde got the Eagles on the board with a sac-fly RBI, scoring Hannah Pate. Aaliyah Brown was up next and was walked, and Kylie Janzen made UCO pay with an RBI triple, bringing Brown home. And Rebeca Fajardo brought Janzen home on an RBI single to cap a 3-run top of the first for the Eagles.

UCO scored on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the first but then returned the favor in the top of the second, walking in two runs for OC to give the Eagles a 5-1 lead. Farjado capped the 4-run second inning for the Eagles with a single to bring home Janzen and Brown giving OC a lead that UCO wouldn't touch.

Aaliyah Brown brought OC's total to 8 runs with an RBI single, plating Walde to take an 8-3 lead that would go on to be the final score.

Payton Foster had another excellent performance as she now has wins against top-25 opponents in both of her starts as an Eagle.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH RODRIGUEZ

We got off to a great start offensively and executed our game plan early. Payton pitched a great game keeping their big hitters off balance, and our defense did a great job of backing her up.

Game 2: OC 0, ATU 3

Game two was a different story, a low-scoring pitching duel that was a battle to the final inning.

The Golden Suns struck in the first inning with a sac-fly RBI, but Karsyn Iltis, a transfer from North Texas making her OC debut, held Arkansas Tech scoreless for the next five innings.

The Eagles' best chance came in the fifth inning when Kristen Whitehouse opened the inning with a single, and she traded places with Rebeca Fajardo, who reached on a fielder's choice. Tristyn Hamilton reached base on a 2-out single, advancing Fajardo to second. On the next play, Marissa Powell singled up the middle, and Fajardo tried to score from second, but she was thrown out at the plate.

ATU scored in the 6th and 7th inning to take a 3-0 win in game 2 of the day.

THOUGHTS FROM COACH RODRIGUEZ

We hit some balls hard right at them. Sometimes that's just how the game goes. ATU played great defense and took a few of our would-be hits away. It was just one of those games where we couldn't get anything going offensively to break it open. Karsyn had a great first outing for us, and we played uncharacteristic behind her.