Anticipation is high on the diamond for both the baseball and softball teams at Oklahoma Christian as they begin their first season of competition as a full member of NCAA Division II.
Coach Lonny Cobble’s baseball team entered the season eighth in the Division II South Central Region rankings and figures to contend for the title in the rugged Heartland Conference. The Eagles opened the season with a three-game road sweep of regional No. 7-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville, giving Cobble his 100th career win at the OC helm in the process.
Garrett Hill
Two All-Heartland second-team selections are back to lead the Eagles this season. Senior Derek Jones, a five-tool outfielder who is a serious professional prospect, hit .345 with three home runs and 39 RBIs last season and already has a two-homer game this season. Another senior, versatile second baseman Zac Cobble, is an ace leadoff batter who hit .321 in 2015.
Former Carl Albert High School and Seminole State standout Alex Polston transferred to OC from Auburn during the off-season and should provide strong defense to go with a bat with plenty of pop. Senior Kyle Lacy led the Eagles in home runs last season with nine while hitting .299. The left-hander will play in the outfield when he’s not taking his turn on the mound as a starting pitcher.
Speaking of pitchers, the Eagles have lots of depth on the mound. Bradley Horn, a transfer from Dayton, will join former Central Oklahoma hurler Jared Sterling and Lacy in the weekend rotation, with former Putnam City North standout Brennan Walker and Jared Price, a Carl Albert High School product, serving as the midweek starters.
A former Edmond Memorial star, Garett Hill, is the Heartland’s top long reliever, while hard-throwing Dylan Fazekas (Red Oak) seems a natural as the OC closer.
Coach Tom Heath’s softball team will be young, with nine freshmen and only one senior, catcher Kelsie Finch. The Lady Eagles do boast a returning all-region utility player in outfielder Haley Squier, who hit .346 with one home run and 36 RBIs.
Hailey Squier
Two other juniors, catcher Niki Davidson (.264, 4 HR, 32 RBIs) and first baseman Jordan Chism (.261, 4 HR, 29 RBIs), also are proven contributors, as is sophomore second baseman Sheridan Bond (.244, 19 RBIs). Sophomore Madison Nordyke will lead a young pitching staff, coming off a 7-5 season during which she posted a 3.98 ERA and also hit .296 with two home runs and 26 RBIs.
Among the OC newcomers this season are Kirsten Scott (El Reno), Kaylie Upton (Pauls Valley), Kayla Eicher (Edmond Memorial), Bridget White (Edmond North), Lacey Davidson (Community Christian) and Avery Walker (Marlow).
