From OCU Sports Info.
Rich Tortorelli, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Nicole Nonnemacher propelled Saint Xavier (Ill.) by No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University 1-0, hurling a one-hit shutout Monday at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex in the NAIA Softball World Series.
Nonnemacher posted the first shutout vs. the Stars this year. Oklahoma City (62-3) faces Williams Baptist (Ark.) in an elimination game 1 p.m. CDT Tuesday.
Fifth-ranked Saint Xavier (45-8-1) collected its second consecutive 1-0 victory to become the first team since Oklahoma Christian in 2003 to win its first two NAIA Softball World Series games by a 1-0 count. Nonnemacher notched her second consecutive one-hit whitewash.
Nonnemacher carried a no-hitter against the Stars until Madison Ellis nailed a base hit to left field with two out in the top of the seventh inning. Nonnemacher leads the NAIA with 430 strikeouts while ranking second nationally in opponents’ batting average and hits allowed per nine innings this season.
OCU entered the game ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in home runs (71), homers per game (1.11), hits (698), runs scored (542) and runs batted in (467).
Nonnemacher, a senior from Bloomington, Ill., fanned nine in her 16th shutout and 33rd complete game this year. Nonnemacher (30-4) allowed three base runners. She had a perfect game until she committed an error to allow Jaci Smith to reach base with one out in the fourth.
With two away in the seventh, Leslie Miller got on by a hit by pitch. Ellis followed with a single to put the tying run on second base before Nonnemacher recorded the final out.
Saint Xavier scored the game’s only run on Savannah Kinsella’s groundout with the bases full in the bottom of the first inning. Kasey Kanaga and Nonnemacher had back-to-back base hits, then Brittany Plimmer reached on an error to fill the bases.
Georgia Wall took her first loss of the year after 23 consecutive victories to begin her college career. Wall, a freshman from Marlow, Okla., allowed four hits and three walks with two strikeouts in six innings.