SHAWNEE- St. Gregory's (19-9, 13-5 SAC) softball team stayed red hot on Thursday evening, as they took down Mid-America Christian (11-27, 2-12 SAC) twice in a double-header sweep. SGU won game one 3-2 via walk-off, and then they won game two by a final score of 4-2. The Cavs have now won eight straight games, have swept four straight series, and they are just one game back of No. 24 USAO for second place in conference. The Cavaliers can move by USAO in the standings this weekend when the two teams play a double-header on Saturday, April 8.
The Cavs grabbed an early 2-0 lead in game one, by scoring twice in the first inning on a squeeze bunt by Sammy Leisinger (SR/Little Axe, Okla.), and then on a RBI single from Lauren Miller (JR/Blanchard, Okla.). The Evangels cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the third inning, and they tied the game at two, just one inning later. In the bottom of the seventh, Jessica Nelson (JR/Lewisville, Texas) led off the inning by hitting a triple to deep right-center. MACU then intentionally walked Leisinger and Miller to make a force out at home possible. After Miller was intentionally walked to load the bases, Crystal Pablo (SO/Gallup, N.M.) hit a sac-fly to deep left field, to bring in Nelson for the walk-off win.
Nelson led the Cavaliers offense by going 3-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Sutv Meely (SR/Tecumseh, Okla.) went 2-4 with a run scored, and Lauren Miller went 2-2 with a double, two walks, and one RBI. Crystal Pablo, Ashli Hafford (JR/Blanchard, Okla.), and Lexis Young (FR/Mustang, Okla.) each had one hit a piece in game one as well.
Bryn Houlton (JR/Savanna, Okla.) pitched another complete game victory for SGU. Houlton went all seven innings, allowing just two earned runs, to move to 10-4 on the season.
The Cavs scored first once again in game two, with one run in the bottom of the second inning on a ground ball to the infield, bringing in Aubrie Giguiere (FR/Harrah, OK). St. Gregory's extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Jessica Nelson hit her second triple of the day, to lead off the inning, and then she was driven home on Sammy Leisinger's double to deep center field. Leisinger then scored on a sac-squeeze bunt by Crystal Pablo. Mid-America Christian cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth, but the Cavs got that run back in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI single from Jessica Nelson, to make the score 4-1. The Evangels added one more run in the sixth, but Chula Chavez (JR/Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) would close out the win for SGU.
Chavez went all 7 innings for the Cavs to earn her seventh win of the year. She allowed just two earned runs on 6 hits, while striking out three batters.
Jessica Nelson once again led the Cavs at the dish, by going 2-4 with a triple, a stolen base, a run scored, and one RBI. Lauren Miller also collected two hits in the game. Sutv Meely, Sammy Leisinger, Crystal Pablo, and Bryanne Knox (SR/Dickson, Okla.) each had one hit in game two.
The Cavs will now prepare for a big double-header against No. 24 USAO this Sat., April 8. The two teams will be battling for second place in the confernece, when they start up at 1 PM. Prior to first pitch of the double-header, the Cavs will honor their three seniors (Sutv Meely, Sammy Leisinger, and Bryanne Knox.)