THREE PEAT: Drovers Crowned SAC Tournament Champions for Third Year in a Row

CHICKASHA, Okla. – On Sunday, the No. 1 seed University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (47-7, 33-3 SAC) claimed their fifth Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament championship in program history with a dramatic 4-3 walk-off win against No. 2 Oklahoma City University (46-8, 31-5 SAC). The Drovers and Stars have met in each of the last seven SAC Tournament championship games since 2018, and USAO has won four of those, including each of the last three. 

Coming into Sunday's championship game, both teams entered with identical 46-7 records and each team owned a 15-game win streak. Furthermore, USAO and OCU have faced each other 38 times since the start of the 2018 season, with each team having won 19 games against their archrival. With Sunday's win, the Drovers improve to 23-48 against the Stars all-time, dating to 2008.

During USAO's current 16-game win streak, they have outscored opponents 119-23. Through 54 games this season, USAO has tallied 10 or more hits on 27 different occasions, and they have earned 19 wins via the run-rule. The pitching staff has also been terrific, producing a 1.86 earned run average with 290 strikeouts in 338.0 innings. Additionally, USAO has held opponents to a .209 batting average, while the Drovers offense owns a .360 average at the dish. 

Sunday's contest began with a scoreless inning, prior to the Stars scoring the first run of the game in the top of the second. OCU controlled a 1-0 advantage until the bottom of the fifth, when Sierra Selfridge launched a three-run home run to give USAO the lead. OCU managed to pull the score even at 3-3 with one run in the top of the sixth and one more in the top of the seventh. 

In the bottom half of the seventh, the Drovers loaded up the bases and then pure chaos ensued. On a 3-0 count, a borderline pitch was called a strike, with a slight delay. Due to the delay of the call, Taylor Cronic was making her way down the third base line to score, but then the umpire made the strike call, sending the stadium into a panic. Cronic momentarily turned back to third, prior to quickly changing directions and sneaking her foot onto home plate, just milliseconds before being tagged.

As a team, the Drovers offense produced seven hits and drew four walks, while the Stars were held to five hits, and three free passes. OCU was perfect on defense and USAO committed two fielding errors. 

The Drover offense was led by a powerful display from Sierra Selfridge. Selfridge finished 1-2 with her 16^thhomer of the season, in addition to two walks, a run scored, and three runs batted in. With her three RBIs, Selfridge's season total reached 80, setting a new program record for most runs batted in for a single season. In her career, she has blasted 34 homers and driven in 221 runs. She is the program's all-time leader in career RBIs and ranks third in home runs. 

Malea McMurtrey finished 2-2 with a walk. Taylor Cronic concluded 1-1 with a walk, two runs scored, and the game-winning stolen base. Kinzie Williams, Sophie Williams, and Jadyn Goucher each singled once in the win. 

Sophie Williams got the start in the circle and improved her record to 25-4 this season, pitching all 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and she struck out eight batters. Furthermore, Williams improves to 3-0 all-time in the SAC Championship game, all of which have been against OCU.

In her stellar career, Williams owns a 96-23 record, along with a 1.32 earned run average and 917 strikeouts in 747.2 innings of work. She owns 40 shutouts, five no-hitters, and seven perfect games since the start of 2022.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Drovers now await the NAIA Selection Show to find out who their opponents will be for the NAIA Opening Round from May 12-15 at Bill Smith Ballpark. The Selection Show will be streamed live on Wednesday, May 7 at 5:00 PM CT.

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