OKLHAOMA CITY, Okla. — No. 10 Southern Nazarene entered the last day of March having won 21 straight games and hadn't lost in the month. The Crimson Storm were just three outs away from pulling off win No. 22 before Oklahoma Christian stole the first game of a doubleheader away with a 4-3 win before SNU bounced back in a big way and closed out March the same way they opened it; with a win.
The Crimson Storm (29-6, 7-3 SAC) scored a combined 10 runs in the fifth and seventh innings to blow out the Lady Eagles (30-9, 11-5 SAC), 13-3, in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Lady Eagles were the first on the board in the opener with two in the bottom of the first, but SNU answered with three in the top of the second. Keli Billups scored the first run of the day on an OC error before Daphne Stewart tied the game with a double to right that scored Kristina Forest. Katie Turner then singled up the middle to score Stewart.
Jordan Simmons had held the Lady Eagles scoreless for five straight innings and retired the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth before Lauren Walk and Leigh Leonard hit back-to-back singles to put runners at first and second. Sarah Peoples then roped a single to left field to load the bases before Deidre Chatingy blooped a single to right that scored two and gave OC the winning runs.
Ashley Paxton picked up the win after she went the full seven innings and allowed three runs on 11 hits. Simmons dropped just her second game of the year as she moved to 13-2 after she allowed four runs on 11 hits. She also struck out seven.
Billups went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored while Turner went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Stewart and Hale both went 2-for-4 as Stewart drove in and scored a run.
In the nightcap the Storm quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Billups and Kacey Acker ripped back-to-back doubles in the top of the second and Amy Madden hit a solo shot to right field in the third. OC tied it with one swing on a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth.
The Storm though responded with four in the top of the fifth on an Aubrey Jones deep fly to right before Amy Madden blasted her 10th home run of the season with two on to put SNU up 7-3. The Storm unloaded in the top of the seventh with six runs that included a grand slam from Hale.
Kaci Crawford (14-3) picked up the win after she allowed three runs on five hits and struck out six. Madden went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, three runs scored, two home runs and a walk. Hale and Turner each went 3-for-4 with a run scored as Hale drove in four runs while Turner drove in one.
The Storm handed Leonard her first loss of the year as she moved to 12-1.
The Crimson Storm now travel up I-44 for a SAC doubleheader against Rogers State at 2 p.m.
