Alva Review-Courier -

BETHANY - We've said it before and it always remains true.

In rivalry games, anything can happen.

Unfortunately for the Southern Nazarene softball team, they found that out the hard way on Thursday evening as they were three outs away from earning their fourth victory of the year, leading 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh, but eventually fell to the Oklahoma Christian Eagles by the score of 5-4 in eight innings.

Through four innings, it was a pitching dual between Caitlin Lewis of SNU and Kali Crandall of OC as they kept both teams scoreless. In the top of the 5th, SNU got a rally going as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Victoria Rodriguez stepped to the plate and drew a walk to give the Crimson Storm a 1-0 lead while Skye Ah Yat followed that with a bases clearing double to left to give SNU a 4-0 lead.

However, OC struck for four runs in the seventh inning, earning the go-ahead run on an error to even the game at four a piece. SNU tried to regroup in the eighth, but went down in order while OC got the game winning run on a single to take the 5-4 win and stun the Crimson Storm.

Lewis pitched 6.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits to go two strikeouts. Cheyenne Price (L, 0-1) came in relief and only allowed the hit, but unfortunately it was the game-winning hit as she was tagged with the loss.

Ah Yat was 1-for-3 with three RBI while Kaley Knox and Kai Sanchez each had a hit. Sanchez, Mahina Sauer, and Jacey James all scored a run in the contest while Sauer drew a pair of walks.

SNU moves to 3-6 overall and will look to rebound tomorrow at 2 PM as they will battle Newman at the Tom Heath Field.