by SHAWNEE, OKLA. – The East Central University softball team played two and a half games against Oklahoma Baptist, winning two to take the Great American Conference series. The teams finished the first game of the series that was started Thursday, April 13, with the Tigers (23-22, 14-19 GAC) winning 3-1. ECU then won the first full game of the day 12-7 in nine innings before falling 1-3 in the final game of the day.
The Tigers were paced by junior Alissa Taylor (Mvskoke Creek Nation)and junior Claresha Clemons. Taylor hit .636 for the day, with seven hits, three runs and an RBI. Clemons added a .538 average, seven hits, two runs and eight RBIs.
Freshman Sierra Skaggs went 1-1 in the circle, with six hits and three runs allowed, while striking out one in 8.0 innings of work. Senior Kelbie Crelia picked up the other win, with eight hits and four runs in 10.0 innings, while striking out 12.
ECU will remain on the road for the final double header with rival Southeastern, Tuesday, April 18 at 2 p.m. in Durant, Okla. The week will end with the final games of the year at Tiger Field, April 21-22 against Southern Nazarene.
ECU 3, OBU 1
The first 3.5 innings of the game were played April 13, with the Tigers taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run home run by Clemons.
After the teams picked up the game on April 14, the final run of the game was scored by the Bison (17-24, 9-22 GAC) in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-1 final.
ECU 12, OBU 7 (9)
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead, going up 3-0 after the first inning. Taylor and sophomore Ellanee Allison both singled and Clemons reached on an error to load the bases. That allowed a run to score on pass ball and then a second on a double steal. Sophomore Madison Thompson and freshman Jaclyn Willis were both walked to reload the bases, which allowed sophomore Breecia Crawford to earn an RBI on a ground out to second.
ECU added three more runs in the second for a 6-0 advantage. Redshirt sophomore Aundrea Hamric started with a walk and was able to score after stealing second and a single by Taylor. The final two runs were scored on a double by Clemons after Allison reached due to an error.
The Bison started their come-back in the third, cutting the lead in half with three runs (6-3).
The Tigers pushed the advantage back to 7-3 in the fourth on a single by Taylor and a sacrifice fly by Clemons.
That is when OBU took over and scored a run in the fifth and sixth and two in the seventh to force the game into extra innings, tied at seven.
Both teams didn’t add any runs in the eighth, but ECU’s offense was jump started again in the ninth to score five runs. Sophomore Mariah Ewy and Thompson started the scoring with back-to-back doubles. The rest of the runs were scored on singles from Willis, Crawford and Clemons and walks to Taylor and Allison.
ECU then allowed a single runner in the bottom of the inning, but claimed the win on a double play.
OBU 3, ECU 1
The final game of the day was a defensive battle, with both teams remaining scoreless until the fifth inning.
The Bison took a 3-0 lead in the inning after two singles and a home run.
The Tigers tried to make a come-back in the sixth, but were only able to score a single run. Thompson started the inning with a single and was followed on by won a walk to freshman Lindsay Walker and bunt single by Crawford. That allowed Willis to earn the RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.
