EOU Stymied By No. 2 Oklahoma City in NAIA Championships Opener 5/14/2018 6:29:28 PM OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Facing off against the reigning NAIA National Champions in Oklahoma City University, the Eastern Oregon softball team battled but came up short in a 4-0 loss on Monday in the NAIA Championships Opening Round at Ann Lacy Stadium. The Mountaineers will continue in the double-elimination Oklahoma City bracket on Tuesday, squaring off with Tabor (Kan.) (29-20) at 1 p.m. Central time in the first of two potential elimination games. Drawing a tough bracket, the Mountaineers (26-23) kept it close against one of the nation’s top teams in the 49-7 Stars. Apart from two home runs, senior pitcher Hailey Kline kept the tough Oklahoma City lineup in check for the majority of the afternoon. Kline pitched all seven innings, allowing four runs on just five hits with no walk sand seven strikeouts. The EOU defense played a great game behind Kline - turning a double play, throwing out the only attempted stealer and making no errors. The Stars were led by a dominant performance by pitcher Abby Meador, who allowed just one hit and four total baserunners in a shutout. Meador used the top of the strike zone often to punch out 12 Mountaineer hitters in the game. OCU got on the board early on a two-run homerun by Jaci Smith in the first inning. After a bloop single by Julianne Abeloe, Smith drove a 2-2 pitch over the right field wall. The Stars added a run in the fourth inning on another soft hit to right field with two outs by Laci Joyner. Brittany Perez capped off the scoring with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Junior outfielder Rayne Spencer broke up Meador’s no-hit bid to lead off the seventh inning on a single deflected up the middle. The Mountaineers’ Tuesday opponent, Tabor, also fell 4-0 against No. 16 Grand View. EOU will host another watch part for Tuesday’s game. Fans interested in watching can head to the booster room in Quinn Coliseum for first pitch against Tabor at 11 a.m. Pacific time. For more information on Eastern Oregon softball, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com. FOLLOW EOU ATHLETICS Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu