Lady Bison Sweep Oklahoma Christian

Oklahoma Baptist got a crucial sweep of 34th-ranked Oklahoma Christian Thursday in Sooner Athletic Conference softball, 8-5, 2-1.

Amanda Zahara picked up a win and a save for OBU in the two games.

OBU scored two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Melissa Martinez. OC answered with a three-run third, led by Angie Plowman’s two-run double and an RBI double by Lindsey Lawson.

The Lady Bison took the lead back, 4-3, in the third on an RBI single by Sandralina Rones and an RBI double by Catherine Eimen.

The see-saw went back the other way in the top of the fourth with OC taking a 5-4 lead on Lawson’s second of four hits — a two-run single.

But the final momentum shift came back to OBU in the form of a three-run home run by Rones in the bottom of the fourth. Rones and Martinez had two hits each for OBU.

Zahara (9-5) picked up the win.

OBU’s Ashley Howard (5-2) tossed a gem for six innings in the second game. The freshman held the Lady Eagles scoreless on five hits for the first six innings.

OBU scored both its runs in the first inning on an RBI single by Brooke Stevens and a passed ball.

Oklahoma Christian threatened in the sixth with runners at first and second with one out, but Howard got Lawson to ground into a Martinez-to-Rones-to-Nitz 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

The Eagles finally reached Howard in the seventh when Stephanie Swarb singled, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a double by Courtney Quine with one out. Zahara came on in relief and got retired Stephanie Branham on a grounder and struck out Heather Meyer to preserve the win.

Katy Thurber and Stevens had two hits each for the Lady Bison.

OBU (14-7, 3-3) moved ahead of Oklahoma Christian and Northwestern into fourth place in the SAC standings. The Lady Eagles dropped to 12-15 and 5-7.