The Oakland City University softball team played host to the National Christian College Athletic Association Mideast Regional Tournament, held at East Gibson Girls' Softball League Field, in Oakland City, Indiana.
In the opening game, the second seeded Mighty Oaks took on the third ranked Eagles of Alice Lloyd College. Whitney Jeffers, senior pitcher from Clay City, Indiana, completed a perfect game for the Oaks, as OCU won 8-0. Valerie Lewis went 2-3 at the plate, picking up one RBI, while Lexi Newcom had one hit in three at bats, with two RBI. Jeffers and Anna Orsburn each went 1-3, with a walk and two runs scored each. Reagan Hensley, Lauren Morton, Bre Scheberle and Lauren Stone each scored once for OCU, while Morton, Stone and Caitlin Huff each had an RBI in the win. As a team, OCU went 6-23 at the plate, with eight walks, reached four times on hit by pitches, had three strikeouts, and scored eight runs, with six batted in. Jeffers had nine strikeouts, while facing the minimum on the rubber, needing just 57 pitches to complete the game, as the Eagles going 0-18 at the plate.
The Oaks then advanced to take on the Blazer of Belhaven University, holding the region's top seed. OCU was unable to get the bats going in the second game, losing 6-0. Hensley went 2-3 at the plate, while Newcom and Huff each went 1-3, and Shay Harrington came in the pinch hit, going 1-1. Lewis pitched a complete game for the Oaks, giving up six runs, three earned, on five hits, with one walk and one strikeout.
In day two action, the Oaks will again face Alice Lloyd in the consolation finals, with the winner moving on to the championship game against Belhaven. If Belhaven loses the first championship game, a rematch will need to be played in order to complete the double-elimination bracket. The winner of the tournament will advance to the NCCAA National Tournament.
