OCU Athletics
Christopher Maple, Assistant Sports Information Director
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Oklahoma City University whitewashed Marian (Ind.) 3-0 on Saturday at the Killian Sports Complex in the NAIA Softball World Series.
OCU coach Phil McSpadden collected career victory No. 1,725. The third-ranked Stars (59-6) face fourth-rated Southern Oregon (50-7) at 7 p.m. CDT Monday.
With a win Monday, OCU would reach the NAIA Softball World Series championship game for the 16th time in program history. The Stars dealt Marian (54-2) its second loss of the season and Marian pitcher Breena Smith (27-1) her first setback of the year. Marian got off to a 50-0 start in 2019.
McSpadden’s head-coaching record stands at 1,725-382 in his 32nd year coaching Oklahoma City. McSpadden has directed more wins than any college softball coach against four-year schools. He has brought OCU 10 national championships, five runner-up finishes, 30 World Series trips and 13 55-win seasons. McSpadden recorded career win No. 1,700 on April 5 in a 5-3 victory over Panhandle State in Oklahoma City. OCU moved its all-time mark in the NAIA Softball World Series to 129-47 in 32 appearances.
Jaden Shores held Marian to one hit and two walks to grab the win. Shores, a junior from Blanchard, Okla., improved to 31-4 with her 14th blanking of the year.
Shores retired the first seven batters she faced in order before walking Sidney Gerkin with one out in the third inning. Mary Crumlin had Marian’s lone hit on a single to right field with two away in the fifth. Shores struck out three and retired seven batters on groundouts. She logged 84 pitches in the complete-game effort. Shores has surrendered two hits in 14 innings pitched in the World Series.
“The win was awesome because it was one of our most complete games,” OCU senior Bailey Whitmore said. “We didn’t have any errors in the field. Jaden threw a one-hitter. We just came through all together. If you didn’t hit, we made up for it in the field. We all just did our best, and we all played a really good game today.”
Gaby Zucchiatti provided the Stars with their first run by pounding a double near the left-field foul line beyond the outstretched glove of Marian left fielder Maddie Bombei with two out in the fourth inning. Julianne Abeloe raced home from first base on the hit.
Smith maintained a no-hitter until the Stars’ Morgan McCallum smacked a double deep off the left-field fence over Bombei’s head with one out in the fourth.
In the fifth, Jaci Smith nailed a base hit to left with Kennedy Jackson on for OCU. Jackson advanced to third base as Bombei committed an error on the play. Baileigh Loux brought home Jackson on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Sha Ingram, running for Shelby Riggs, scored on Smith’s groundout in the seventh.
Jackson, a sophomore from Moore, Okla., went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and a run scored for the Stars. Smith, a senior from Godley, Texas, turned in a 1-for-3 performance with an RBI. Smith piled up her 117th RBI of the year to improve upon her NAIA single-season record number.
Zucchiatti, a junior from Millbrae, Calif., contributed a 1-for-3 stat line with an RBI.
NAIA Softball World Series
At Springfield, Mo.
Killian Sports Complex
All Times CDT
Thursday’s Results
Mobile (Ala.) 3, Oregon Tech 2
Georgia Gwinnett 2, Vanguard (Calif.) 1
Friday’s Results
Southern Oregon 4, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 3
Oklahoma City 4, Valley City State (N.D.) 0
Marian (Ind.) 2, Mobile 1
USAO 4, Georgia Gwinnett 1
Lindsey Wilson 2, Vanguard 0, Vanguard eliminated
Oregon Tech 7, Valley City State 1, Valley City St. eliminated
Saturday’s Games
Game 11: Southern Oregon 4, USAO 0
Game 12: Oklahoma City 3, Marian 0
Game 9: Lindsey Wilson 9, Mobile 1, Mobile eliminated
Game 10: Georgia Gwinnett vs. Oregon Tech
Monday, May 27
Game 13: Lindsey Wilson vs. USAO, 2 p.m.
Game 14: Winner Game 10 vs. Marian, 4:30 p.m.
Game 15: Oklahoma City vs. Southern Oregon, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 28
Game 16: Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, 4 p.m.
Game 17: Winner Game 16 vs. Loser Game 15, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 29
Championship
Game 18: Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 17, 5 p.m.
Game 19: If necessary, 8 p.m.