OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Softball team opens its 2025 season on Friday in the Southern Sports Collegiate Invitational with four games over the weekend, 

Key Returners
OF - Tara Hoehner - .425 AVG / 1.181 OPS / 53 R / 71 H / 21 2B / 9 HR / 56 RBI / 24 SB - Second Team NAIA All-American / SAC Freshman of the Year
OF - Emersen Heron - .414 AVG / 1.280 OPS / 48 R / 70 H / 22 2B / 4 3B / 13 HR / 62 RBI - First Team NAIA All-American / SAC Newcomer of the Year
2B - Iliana Ashford - .379 AVG / 953 OPS / 42 R / 39 H / 9 2B / 17 RBI / 21 SB - 2024 SAC Gold Glove
3B - Rally Radacy - .378 AVG / .945 OPS / 70 R / 62 H / 8 2B / 4 3B / 27 RBI / 14 SB
C - Tiffany Paul - .288 AVG / .822 OPS / 28 R / 40 H / 6 2B / 3 3B / 6 HR / 42 RBI

P - Emersen Heron - 24-0 / 141.0 IP / 0.89 ERA / 29-21 APP-GS / 16 CG / 6 SHO / 90 SO - First Team NAIA All-American / SAC Newcomer of the Year
P - Brynlee Alsip - 4-0 / 28.0 IP / 0.75 ERA / 10-3 APP-GS / 2 CG / SHO / 27 SO 

Key Losses
Shelbey Cornelson - 3x NAIA All-American / 2024 First Team All-SAC / 103 Career Wins / Second winningest pitcher in program history
Baileigh Loux - 2024 First Team NAIA All-American / 2024 SAC Player of the Year / Third-best batting average in the nation (.517).
Kaitlyn Jones - 2024 Third-Team NAIA All-American / 2x All-Conference Honoree / Second-highest batting average on the team (.437).
Kamryn Garvie - 2024 Second-Team NAIA All-American / 2x All-Conference Member - 15 Home Runs
Amy Crabaugh - 2024 First Team All-Conference / .358 Batting Average

Key Newcomers
P - Fr. - Morgandee Sawatzky -  Arapaho, Okla.
OF - Jr. - Jaslyne Williams - Marion, Texas / Highland CC / Lamar CC
C - Fr. - Jacquelyn Purtell - McKinney, Texas

2024 Review
Oklahoma City wrapped up the 2024 campaign with a record of 54-5 while going unbeaten at Ann Lacy Stadium for the first time since 2017 with a 28-0 record at home. The Stars finished 19-1 on the road and 7-4 at neutral sites while being the regular season Sooner Athletic Conference Champions. 

Oklahoma City earned its way to Columbus after winning the regular season Sooner Athletic Conference Championship before winning three games in the Opening Round held at Ann Lacy Stadium where the Stars outscored its three opponents 22-1.

Oklahoma City made its 35th appearance in the NAIA World Series last year where its historic season came to and end after back-to-back losses to Jessup and Cumberlands. 

OCU finished up by having six players named NAIA All-Americans, seven all-conference selections, SAC Player of the Year, SAC Freshman of the Year, SAC Newcomer of the Year, SAC Coach of the Year and a Gold Glove winner. 

2025 Preview
Oklahoma City gears up for a much awaited 2025 campaign in search of its 12th National Title.  The Stars will look to replace five seniors who departed from last seasons roster as the team adds three newcomers and will return Analise Rayburn and Carlee Mollet who comeback after missing last season due to injury. 

Emersen Heron returns for her second season with Oklahoma City after being selected as a 2024 First Team all-American after being one of the best two-way players in the country. On the offensive side, Heron batted .414 and tallied the second most home runs on the team with 13 while leading the squad with 22 doubles and four triples. Inside the circle, Heron displayed a perfect 24-0 record with a 0.89 ERA. The junior dealt 141.0 innings and gathered 90 strikeouts. Heron broke in the month of March after a historic performance against Mid-America Christian where she tossed a complete game shutout while launching three home runs in a 3-0 win over the Evangels. 

Tara Hoehner enters her sophomore season after being the only freshman in the country to make the 2024 NAIA all-American list and it was the Stars left fielder Tara Hoehner. After being named the SAC Freshman of the year Hoehner continued to gather up the accolades such as being selected to the first team all-conference and being named the NFCA Region III Freshman of the Year. Hoehner put together a stellar rookie campaign after racking up a team-high 24 stolen bases and a .425 batting average along with 21 doubles, nine home runs and 56 RBI. Hoehner put together three games this year with five-RBI  in each contest including the Mar. 10 matchup against Mid-America Christian where she went 2-for-3 with two home runs. 

Head Coach Phil McSpadden enters year 37 at the helm for Oklahoma City after notching his fourth best winning percentage a season ago. 

The 2024 SAC Coach of the Year award went to Stars Associate Head Coach Bobbi Bridges after helping guide the Stars to the 12th regular season title, an appearance in the SAC Championship Game for the seventh year in a row. In her time coaching at OCU, the Stars have averaged 53 wins per year. She has contributed to four national championships, two national runner-up finishes, 19 NAIA Softball World Series appearances, eight Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season titles and nine conference tournament crowns. 

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