Ottawa University Softball

NAIA Softball Tournament opening round OKC Bracket

5/14/2024

The Ottawa Braves held off two elimination games to continue on in the Opening Round of the NAIA Softball- OKC Bracket, on Tuesday May,  14th. The Braves picked up victories against Freed-Hardeman University, 2-1 and the University of Houston-Victoria,  3-2. This marks the 40th win on the season for OU. The Braves have won 40 games for the second consecutive season and this is their fourth in program history.  

Win vs Freed-Hardeman, 2-1

Scoreless until third, until Meagan Kennedy was Hit By Pitch, then stole second to put herself in scoring position. Addison Spencer drove her home on a double to left-center. OU goes up 1-0. 

Ottawa added another run in the top of the fourth. After Kara Hafenstine was HBP and stole second, Reagan Hammons got her to third on a single up the middle. Cierra Faubion bunted her way to first, loading the bases. Kara made it home on a throwing error by the FHU first baseman, setting up a 2-0 lead for the Braves. 

The Lions tried to comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring a run. They had two runners on base and only one out, until OU got two consecutive ground-outs to wrap up the victory, 2-1. 

• Cierra Faubion went 2-3 at the plate.

• Addison Spencer led the Braves with one RBI.

• Ashlyn Mercer picks up the W. Struck out 5 batters in 6 innings. 

• Maddison Carney recorded the first save in her collegiate career.

Win vs Houston-Victoria, 3-2

Ottawa came out swinging. Addison Spencer hit an infield single to third. Katie Enneking drove Spencer home on a centerfield double, bringing the Braves to a 1-0 lead. UHV answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning,  tying it up, 1-1. 

The score would remain the same until the top of the fifth inning, where OU was able to regain control, for good this time, driving in two runs in the inning. Rachel Pederson reached first on a single up the middle. Macy Roever hit a sacrifice bunt to send Pederson to second. Spencer drove her home on a single up the middle, putting OU ahead, 2-1. Spencer scored on an error by the Jaguars, making home from second base and the Braves finished the inning with a 3-1 lead. 

The Jaguars made an effort in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a run and getting the score down to 3-2. The Braves shut down that effort, however, sitting down all three batters in the seventh, giving OU the 3-2 win. 

• Addison Spencer was 3-4 on her at-bats, while scoring two runs and driving in another. 

• Megan Kennedy and Katie Enneking both had two hits. Enneking also had an RBI. 

• Maddison Carney gets the win, only allowing four hits in seven innings.

On to the next one…

Ottawa (40-17) will face the no. 2 Oklahoma City University in a third consecutive elimination game on Wednesday, May 15th in Oklahoma City. The Braves need to pull off two straight wins against the Stars, if it wants to book their fifth trip to the NAIA Softball World Series. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

Wednesday May, 15th 2024

Ottawa University’s Softball team was eliminated by the no. 2 Oklahoma City University, officially ending their season on Wednesday May, 15th in the NAIA Opening Round- Oklahoma City Bracket, held at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City, OK. 

Oklahoma City scored the first run to go up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The Stars continued to pile it on, bringing in three runs in the second inning, two in the third, and three in the fourth to build a 9-0 lead over the Braves. 

Ottawa was able to score a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Emma Melvin was hit by a pitch and CaiLynn Nye had to come in as a pinch runner. After Megan Kennedy was walked and Nye moved to second, Rachel Pederson loaded the bases on a single up the middle. Macy Roever hit a sacrifice fly to bring Nye home to score their only run of the game OU ends the fourth with a 9-0 deficit. 

The Stars finished OU off after scoring two more runs in the top of the fifth and OU wasn’t able to extend the game, ending their season with an 11-1 loss. 

The Braves end the season with an overall record of 40-18, while recording their second straight 40-win season. 

• Macy Roever and Rachel Pederson each recorded one hit for OU. 

• Ashlynn Mercer struck out one batter in two innings.