Alva Review-Courier -

LUBBOCK, Texas (Feb. 2, 2019) – You can only hope your Saturday was as good as Kaylie Upton's was.

The Oklahoma Christian senior blasted four home runs, drove in 10 runs and contributed to a no-hitter in the circle as the Lady Eagles posted a pair of run-rule wins in the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff, beating Lone Star Conference foes Midwestern State (Texas) 11-3 and Texas-Permian Basin 15-1.

OC (4-0) hit eight home runs total in the two games, with Bridget White smacking two and Payton Sabolski and Lindsey Stoeckel one each. The Lady Eagles also dominated in the circle, with freshman Kali Crandall allowing only three hits against Midwestern State (1-1), while Upton and Madison Hagood held UTPB (1-3) hitless.

The Lady Eagles scored in every inning against Midwestern State. Upton's two-run homer keyed a three-run first inning off Midwestern State starter Tucker Caraway (0-1) and she hit another two-run homer in the second inning to make it 5-2, then hit an RBI single in a two-run fourth inning to put OC up 8-3.

Sabolski hit a two-run home run – the first of her college career – in the fifth before Brie Dunckel singled and eventually scored on an error, giving OC an 11-3 lead and ending the game due to the run rule.

Crandall (2-0) struck out 12 Mustangs, giving her 21 Ks in her first two collegiate pitching appearances.

Upton pitched the first two innings against UTPB before fellow senior Madison Hagood (1-0) took over for three innings. The no-hitter was the first by the Lady Eagles since Shea Coats blanked Lee (Tenn.) 5-0 in the National Christian College Athletic Association semifinals in Troutville, Va., on May 15, 2015.

The Falcons avoided a shutout only by taking advantage of a walk, a wild pitch and an error in the second inning.

OC blew the game open with eight runs on nine hits in the top of the second. Sierra Schultz hit a two-run double before Upton hit a three-run homer off UTPB starter Sloan Springfield (1-1). White greeted reliever Abrie Castillo with a solo home run, and two batters later, Stoeckel hit another solo shot. Lacey Davidson's RBI single – her second hit of the inning – capped the onslaught.

Upton hit a two-run homer and White added a solo shot in a three-run third inning that made it 12-1. Dunckel's two-run double keyed a three-run fourth for OC.

OC's 4-0 start is its best since going 5-0 to begin the 2015 season. This season, with the opening weekend complete, the Lady Eagles won't have to play away from home again until they enter Heartland Conference play. They'll play their first four homes games of the season next weekend in the Edmond Regional Festival I, the first against East Central on Friday at 11 a.m.