EDMOND, Okla. — The Newman University softball team (14-35, 8-22) played to a doubleheader split Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 23) in their final Heartland Conference battle against Oklahoma Christian earning a 5-4 comeback win in the opener before falling 9-0 in the nightcap.
GAME 1
Newman used an opening frame 2-out rally, to get the scoring started. It all started on Emma Eck's infield single, followed by a Lacey Colvin single to left field. The Jets would take a 1-0 lead on their third straight 2-out single from Bailey Bugner bringing home Eck.
OCU rallied back in the home half of the third taking their first and lone of the game recording four runs on three hits.
The Jets came storming back two-innings later as Lauren Kuhrt got things started with 1-out recording her sixth triple of the season. After a Paige Wallace walk, Eck recorded NU's second triple of the inning scoring Kuhrt and Wallace trimming the deficit to one, 4-3. The Jets would knot the score up 4-4 on Colvin's RBI double to right scoring Eck.
Heading into the sixth, Kameron Pope sparked the Jets second 2-out rally of the game with a single to left field. Kuhrt put the Jets in business recording her second base hit of the game advancing pinch runner Shanda Cox to third. Following Kuhrt's conference leading 29th stolen base of the season, Wallace delivered her third game winning RBI of the season with a single to left field giving Newman a 5-4 lead.
Starting pitcher Dominique Payne recorded her tenth complete game of the season working around a 1-out walk in the seventh. Payne notched her ninth win of the season allowing four runs on five hits, while walking five in the effort.
GAME 2
In the second game, the Newman bats were held quite as OCU hurler Lindsey Stoeckel held the Jets to just three hits through 5-innings.
OCU jumped out to a 4-0 lead with 2-runs in the opening frame and the third inning. After adding another run in the fourth, the Eagles would put the game away with a four run fifth enforcing the run rule, 9-0.
Lacey Colvin, Shanda Cox and Bailey Bugner each recorded a base knock in the loss.
The Jets will conclude the season Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 24) against Fort Hays State University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from the NU Softball Field in Wichita, Kan.
