Drovers Fall One Win Short of the NAIA World Series

CHICKASHA, Okla. – On Wednesday, the No. 1 seed University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (50-9, 33-3 SAC) had their postseason run cut short by Grand View University (40-14, 20-4 HAAC), one win shy of advancing to the NAIA World Series for the fourth year in a row. The Drovers fought their way to a 10-7 victory in the first game of the day but then had their season brough to a close with a 3-1 loss in the NAIA Opening Round championship game.  

The Drovers have a fair number of recent matchups against the Vikings. In six meetings since 2008, the series is tied 3-3. GVU won two of the three matchups at this year's Opening Round and won the previous meeting in the 2021 Opening Round, also in Chickasha. USAO won the first two games of the all-time series, back in 2008 and 2012.

USAO's first win of the day propelled the program to its fourth 50-win season since 2018. In 59 games, the Drovers tallied 10 or more hits on 29 different occasions, and they earned 20 wins via the run-rule. The pitching staff was also terrific, producing a 1.91 earned run average with 322 strikeouts in 370.0 innings. Additionally, USAO held opponents to a .209 batting average, while the Drovers offense owned a .357 average at the dish. 

GAME 1 

The Drovers showed an immense amount of determination to win in the first elimination game of the day, scrapping their way to an epic 10-7 triumph, despite numerous miscues on defense and on the base paths.

USAO wasted no time to take the lead, pushing across two runs in the top of the first inning, sparked by a two-run triple from Sophie Williams. The Drovers stretched the advantage to 3-0 with another run in the top of the third. However, the Vikings pulled the score even with a three-run home run in the bottom half of the inning. 

Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Drovers reclaimed the one-run lead as Sierra Selfridge launched a solo-homer to left field, breaking the program-record with her 18^th longball of the season. The lead was short-lived as GVU produced another three-run rally and held a 6-4 advantage after five innings.

Taylor Cronic drove in a run in the top of the sixth to trim USAO's deficit to one. Down to their final three outs, the Drovers scored five runs to take a 10-6 lead. The Vikings scored one run in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough to avoid the "if necessary" game. 

In total, the Drovers offense produced 15 hits and drew three walks, while the Vikings were held to five hits, and one free pass. GVU was perfect on defense, while USAO committed a pair of costly fielding errors.  

The USAO offense was led by a record-breaking performance from Sierra Selfridge, going 3-5 with a home run and two runs scored. In 232 games played in her career at USAO, Selfridge has produced a .395 batting average with 276 hits, 64 doubles, eight triples, 36 home runs, 150 runs scored, and 228 runs batted in. She is the program's all-time leader in doubles and runs batted in, while ranking second in games played and hits, as well as third in at bats and home runs. She has scored the fourth most runs in program history, and sixth best batting average.

Four Drovers tallied a pair of hits in the win, including Taylor Cronic going 2-4 with a pair of runs batted in. Jadyn Goucher went 2-4 with a triple and a run batted in, while Shaylann Grace went 2-4 with a double and a run batted in. 

Malea McMurtrey also broke a pair of records in the first game, going 2-4 with a walk, two runs scored, and a run batted in. She climbed to the top of the program records with her 176^th run scored in her career, and she clinched the best batting average in a single season in program history. This season, the shortstop produced a .462 batting average with 79 hits, including two doubles, five triples, a home run, 64 runs scored, and 30 runs batted in. In her career, she boasts a marvelous .410 batting average with 213 hits, 13 doubles, 11 triples, a homer, 176 runs scored, and 97 runs batted in. 

Leighanne Eaton went 1-1 with a walk, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. Sophie Williams helped her own cause, going 1-3 with a triple, a walk, and two runs batted in. Kinzie Williams finished 1-5 with a triple, while Maveryck Lightfoot went 1-4 with a run scored. 

Sophie Williams got the start in the circle and improved her record to 27-5 this season, pitching all 7.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and she struck out four batters.

Williams concludes her stellar career a 98-24 record, along with a 1.35 earned run average and 942 strikeouts in 773.1 innings of work. She owns 40 shutouts, five no-hitters, and seven perfect games since the start of 2022.

GAME 2 

In the winner-take-all championship game, the Drovers fell behind early on and ultimately suffered a 3-1 loss to end the season one win shy of advancing to the NAIA World Series. 

Grand View jumped out to the early advantage with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. USAO cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the fourth as Maveryck Lightfoot drove in Ashlyn Turner. However, the Vikings immediately responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead back to two. The Drover offense was kept quiet for the remainder of the contest.

In total, the Drovers offense produced six hits and drew one walk, while the Vikings tallied seven hits, and one free pass. Both defenses were perfect in the final game of the Opening Round.  

Jayden Anderson got the start in the circle for the Drovers and pitched 1.1 innings, prior to being relieved by Sophie Williams for the final 4.2 innings. 

The USAO offense was led by Kinzie Williams' 3-4 performance at the plate. With her three hits, Williams becomes the new program record holder for most hits in a season (90). Her .448 batting average is also the fifth best in a season in program history.

Jadyn Goucher went 1-3 with a double, while Sophie Williams and Taylor Cronic each went 1-3 with singles. 

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