The Braves are on a two game winning streak after winning two elimination games in the NAIA Opening Round - OKC Bracket on Tuesday afternoon. Ottawa defeated Freed-Hardeman University 2-1 and the University of Houston-Victoria, 3-2. OU will need to defeat the Stars twice on Wednesday to qualify for the program's fifth NAIA Softball World Series.
The win over UHV was OU's 40th victory of the season. Ottawa has won 40 games for the second straight season. It is the fourth time in program history that Ottawa has won 40 or more games.
Ottawa has a record of 10-7 in opening round games. The Braves have won two NAIA Opening Round brackets with victories in 2017 and 2021.
Through 57 games this season, Ottawa has a .314 batting average, a .385 on base percentage, and a .460 slugging percentage. OU has hit 30 home runs and scored 356 runs.
Addison Spencer leads OU in batting average (.382),
Reagan Hammons is Ottawa's leader in RBI (58), and
Ashlynn Mercer is the team's leader in ERA (1.81) and strike outs (98).
Ashlynn Mercer is two strike outs away from 100 for the 2024 season. She would be the third OU softball pitcher to record two seasons with 100 or more strike outs. Gabby Markham (2014, 2016) and Casson Rasmussen (2021, 2022) are the other two.
The Braves are ranked second in the NAIA in at bats (1,545), ninth in runs (356), 12th in hits (485), eighth in doubles (96), fifth in triples (20), 27th in home runs (30), ninth in RBI (322), 10th in extra base hits (146), 10th in total bases (711), 14th in walks (160), 30th in stolen bases (100), 48th in batting average (.314), 44th in on base percentage (.385), 31st i slugging percentage (.460), 30th in ERA (2.36), 33rd in WHIP (1.23), 25th in shut outs (12), fifth in at bats against (1,440), and 50th in opponent batting average (.258).
Wednesday is the 17th meeting between Ottawa and Oklahoma City. The Braves have a record of 5-11 against the Stars. OCU defeated OU 6-0 in the first game of the NAIA Opening Round on May 13. Ottawa's last victory over OCU in an NAIA Opening Round was on May 17, 2021 in Oklahoma City. OU defeated the Stars 3-1.
Oklahoma City University has an overall record of 53-3, is on a two game winning streak, and has a record of 25-0 at home this season. The Stars are ranked no. 2 in the NAIA Softball Coaches Top 25 Poll. OCU enters Wednesday's game coming off a 5-0 win over (RV) University of Houston-Victoria on Tuesday afternoon.
Baileigh Loux leads the Stars in batting average (.529), Kamryn Garvie is OCU's leader in RBI (70), Emerson Heron leads the team in ERA (0.89), and Shelby Cornelson leads OCU in strike outs (189).
OCU is ranked 37th in the NAIA in at bats (1,376), first in runs (467), first in hits (562), first in doubles (134), 11th in triples (18), first in home runs (58), first in RBI (422), first in extra base hits (210), first in total bases (906), ninth in hit by pitch (42) 13th in strike outs (124), third in sacrifice flies (24), 44th in sacrifice hits (44), 15th in stolen bases (123), first in batting average (.408), first in on base percentage (.460), first in slugging percentage (.658), fourth in ERA (.92), 10th in WHIP (.092), second in shut outs (25), and eighth in opponent batting average (.197).
