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Mid-America Christian University (MACU) lost 2-0 to Dickinson State (of North Dakota) in first opening round softball joust at Central Methodist University in Missouri.
In the school's first-ever appearance in the NAIA championship series, the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) champs fell 2-0.
The power hitting that had propelled Coach Jim Gasso’s team into a high seed was absent in Monday’s contest.
( https://www.citynewsokc.com/education/sac-squads-science-arts-mid-america-christian-and-oklahoma-city-hope-to-build-path-to/article_1152f028-114a-11ef-9774-8f2fe2b4f417.html )
To be sure, junior Emylee Campbell had two hits and senior Morgan Fowble one for MACU, which is based in Southwest Oklahoma City, but the score tells the story.
Pitcher Avery Schneringer, a senior, took the loss, and is now 11-4 for the season.
Dallis Mitchell (now 15-5) was credited for the victory.
After the loss, MACU is 36-16 for the year, while the North Dakotans improved to 25-22.
Due to Monday's loss, the Evangels will face College of Idaho, which fell to Indiana Wesleyan in a 1-0 nail-biter. The loser heads home.
Opening Round results in Oklahoma City and Chickasha
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma City, the host Stars will face Houston-Victoria in the 4 p.m. game at Ann Lacy Stadium. OCU gained access to the contest with a win over Ottawa.
The Jaguars of Houston-Victoria defeated Freed-Hardeman (Tennessee) in Monday's late game.
In the other game on the OCU campus, the Lady Lions of Freed-Hardeman will take on the Ottawa (Kansas) Braves, who lost 6-0 to the Stars.
The losing team in Tuesday's late game will head home.
At Bill Smith Park on the campus of the University of Science and Arts in Chickasha, Oklahoma, the top-seeded Drovers will face Baker University (Kansas) today.
Baker beat Friends University to earn the chance to take on Science & Arts.
Friends and LSU-Alexandria will square off in the consolation bracket, with the loser eliminated.
On Monday, Friends lost their game with Baker, 3-0, while Midland (Nebraska) earned Tuesday as a day off after defeating the Louisianans 2-0.
The victor in the encounter between Science & Arts and Baker today will take on Midland in Wednesday's first game.
NOTE: Pat McGuigan, emeritus editor for CityNewsOKC, covers sports, public policy, arts/entertainment and other areas. He wrote his first sports stories in the early 1970s, while attending McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City.
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