SHAWNEE, Okla. – The East Central University softball team made the short trip to Shawnee over the weekend to face Oklahoma Baptist University in a three-game Great American Conference series on Saturday and Sunday. The Tigers battled throughout the series but fell in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader before dropping the series finale to the Bison.
 
ECU will now turn their attention to the Bisons of Harding University for their next GAC matchup March 13-14 in Searcy, Arkansas.
 
Game 1
The Tigers opened the series on Friday with a 5-1 setback in the first game of the doubleheader. Oklahoma Baptist struck early with an RBI single in the first inning to take the initial lead before adding two more runs in the third on an RBI double and a sacrifice fly to extend the advantage to 3-0.
 
The Bison continued to build their lead in the fifth inning with back-to-back RBI doubles, pushing the margin to 5-0.
 
ECU broke through in the top of the seventh when Katelin Keller delivered a double to left field that scored Elyse LeClair for the Tigers' lone run of the contest. Despite the late push, ECU was unable to mount a full comeback as Oklahoma Baptist secured the 5-1 victory.
 
The Tigers recorded six hits in the opener, led by Elyse LeClair's two-hit performance as she also scored ECU's lone run. Katelin Keller, Jaicee Stott, Lillian Bacon, and Abbey Strong each added a hit.
 
Bradi Odom got the start in the circle for the Tigers, tossing a complete game while allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits. She recorded four strikeouts across six innings in the loss.
 
Game 2
In game two of the Friday doubleheader, the Bison jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, handing the Tigers a 9-0 defeat. Oklahoma Baptist opened the scoring in the first inning with an unearned run before adding a two-run home run to take a 3-0 advantage.
 
The Bison continued to build momentum in the second inning, plating three more runs on an RBI single, a groundout, and a passed ball to extend the lead to 6-0. Oklahoma Baptist added the final runs of the game in the fourth with a three-run home run to push the margin to 9-0.
 
The Tigers were unable to generate a late rally as the Bison secured the run-rule victory to close out Friday's doubleheader.
 
The Tigers were limited offensively in game two, recording three hits in the contest. Elyse LeClair, Katelin Keller, and Lillian Bacon each tallied a hit.
 
Kennedy Schroeder was charged with the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in the opening inning. Lindsey Mauppin followed with 2.0 innings of relief, giving up three runs on four hits. Bailey Melton closed out the game in the circle, tossing 2.0 innings and allowing three runs on two hits while striking out one.
 
Game 3
The Tigers wrapped up the series on Saturday, falling 10-2 in five innings. Oklahoma Baptist took control early, scoring two runs in the second inning on a pair of RBI singles before adding two more in the third on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
The Bison added another run with a solo home run in the fourth to make it 5-0 before ECU responded in the fifth. Hannah Whitaker put the Tigers on the board with a two-run home run to left field, scoring Kennedy Lord and cutting the deficit to 5-2.
 
Oklahoma Baptist answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded before a grand slam sealed the 10-2 run-rule victory for the Bison.
 
Brooklyn Charnock got the start in the circle, pitching 4.0 innings while allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts. Kennedy Schroeder came on in relief, tossing 0.2 innings and allowing five runs (four earned) while recording one strikeout.