(May 10, 2024) Ardmore, Oklahoma - Coming off a 7-2 win on Thursday in the Southwest Plains District Tournament, the ladies took on National Park College on Friday afternoon at Regional Park. National Park advanced on an early morning (2:20 am) walk-off win over Carl Albert State College.
The game was a pitcher's dual and neither team was able to capitalize on the other's mistakes. The Bucks had multiple chances in the early innings to score runs and never could get the timely hit to drive in runs. McKenna Bittle (Greer's Ferry, AR) got the start in the circle for the ladies and kept the Nighthawks off balance for much of the game.
The Bucks took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Olivia Nickson (Bentonville, AR) 2-out RBI single. With the 1-0 lead, the ladies were looking for three outs to close out the game.
National Park had other ideas. The Nighthawks tied the game on a solo home run in the top of the seventh before plated 3 more runs to lead 4-1. The ladies had an opportunity in the bottom half to tie or win the game, but the Bucks stranded a runner to fall 4-1.
Bittle (16-6) pitched all 6.0 innings, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits. She would strike out 6 on the day.
The ladies will now face elimination on Saturday at 11 am against SAU Tech. If the ladies win, they will play again at 6:30 pm Saturday evening.
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