#7 USAO Goes Back-to-Back as SAC Regular Season Champions

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Saturday afternoon, the No. 7 ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (44-8, 33-3 SAC) clinched their fourth SAC regular season championship with a double header sweep against Mid-America Christian University (21-24, 19-17 SAC). The Drovers began the day with a 7-0 shutout win, followed by a 3-1 triumph in the series finale.

With the wins, the Drovers have won 32 of the last 38 meetings against the Evangels and improve to 59-16 against MACU overall since April 2008.

Furthermore, the regular season championship is their second in a row (2004, 2019, 2025, 2026). USAO will be the No. 1 seed for the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament and have the possibility to play on their home turf all the way through. In total, the Drovers have won five SAC Tournament championships, including each of the last three (2015, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025).

The SAC Tournament will be hosted by USAO and Oklahoma City University from April 30-May 2. Seeds No. 1, 4, 5, and 8 will be in Chickasha, while seeds 2, 3, 6, and 7 will be in OKC. The winners of the two sites will meet for the championship game on May 2 at Bill Smith Ballpark.

GAME 1

After holding MACU scoreless in the top of the first, USAO claimed an early lead with one run in the home half of the first inning. The Drovers maintained a one-run lead until the bottom of the fifth when they rallied for their final six runs.

Aubree Ferguson got the start in the circle and went all seven innings to improve her record to 22-2 this season. USAO's ace dealt her 15^th shutout of the season, as well as her second no-hitter of 2026. Ferguson struck out seven batters in the gem.

In 25 appearances this season, the sophomore has allowed an earned run in only five of those contests, and she currently ranks first in the NAIA in earned run average (0.55). Her 22 wins rank fourth in the NAIA.

As a team, the Drovers offense produced nine hits and reached on one walk, while the Evangels tallied no hits and drew one walk. MACU committed a pair of fielding errors, while USAO committed just one. USAO stole six bases on the basepaths, and the Evangels were caught stealing twice by Leighanne Eaton.

USAO's offense was led by three multi-hit performances from Kinzie Williams, Lilyana Portillo, and Taylor Cronic. Williams finished 2-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Portillo finished 2-4 with a run batted in, while Taylor Cronic went 2-3 with a double and two runs batted in.

Malea McMurtrey belted her fifth triple of the season and drove in a run. Leighanne Eaton and Maveryck Lightfoot each singled and drove in a run.

GAME 2

USAO once again jumped out to an early lead with one run in the bottom of the first inning as Malea McMurtrey drove in a run with her sixth triple of the season. MACU pulled the score even with a run in the top of the third, but USAO quickly reclaimed the lead as Maddy Baber drove in a run in the bottom half of the third. Lilyana Portillo drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, and that is all the offense that the Drovers would need.

As a team, the Drovers offense produced nine hits and reached on zero walks, while the Evangels produced four hits and one walk. Both defenses were sloppy, with MACU committing three errors, and USAO committing two.

Jayden Anderson got the start in the circle and went all seven innings to improve to 11-1 this season. Anderson surrendered zero earned runs on four hits, and she struck out five batters.  In her career at USAO, the junior improves her record to 38-7, along with a 1.61 earned run average, while striking out 262 batters in 299.1 innings of work.

USAO's offense was led by a pair of two-hit performances from Malea McMurtrey and Maddy Baber. McMurtrey concluded 2-3 with a triple and scored all three of USAO's runs. Baber finished 2-3 with a run batted in.

Kinzie Williams launched her NAIA-leading 12^th triple, as she finished 1-4 in the regular season finale. Leighanne Eaton, Maveryck Lightfoot, Lilyana Portillo, and Jordan Ramsay each singled.

NAIA STAT RANKINGS

USAO OFFENSE

• 1^st in triples (29)
• 2^nd in stolen bases (182)
• 4^th in extra base hits (160)
• 5^th in doubles (103)
• 6^th in runs (361)
• 6^th in hits (491)
• 14^th in slg% (.524)
• 16^th in batting avg. (.350)

USAO PITCHING

• 1^st in wins (44)
• 2^nd in ERA (1.37)
• 2^nd in strikeouts (343)
• 5^th in innings pitched (331.1)
• 5^th in WHIP (1.06)

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Drovers now head into the postseason and seek a four-peat as they host the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament from April 30-May 2 at Bill Smith Ballpark. USAO has previously won the SAC Tournament in 2015, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

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