HENDERSON, Ky. – The Spring Arbor University softball team opened the 2026 season in impressive fashion, sweeping a doubleheader against Oakland City University on Friday afternoon in Henderson, Kentucky, earning a 7-2 win in game one before rallying for an 11-10, come-from-behind victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Cougars paired timely hitting with a strong performance in the circle from
Emilee Underwood. Making her season debut, Underwood worked 6.1 innings, allowing just two runs while striking out nine batters. Offensively, SAU collected 11 hits, led by senior
Summer Ambler, who went 3-for-4 with a double.
Brooke Meeker added two hits, scored a run, and drove in another, while
Payton Grange finished with a pair of RBIs.
Spring Arbor wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as
Nicole Barbeau crossed the plate on an RBI single by Meeker in the top of the first inning. The Cougars broke the game open with three runs in the third, highlighted by a two-run hit from Grange. Oakland City answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, but it would be the Mighty Oaks' only offense of the contest. SAU added a run in the fourth and capped the scoring with two more in the seventh on RBI hits from
Alexyn DuBois and
Sarah Stewart.
Game two turned into a thriller, with the Cougars completing the sweep with a dramatic last-inning comeback. Spring Arbor scored in each of the first four innings – highlighted by home runs from Ambler and
Grace Luby – to build an early 8-0 lead.
Ava Poulson cruised through the first three frames, holding the Mighty Oaks scoreless, before OCU chipped away with one run in the fourth and two in the fifth to cut the deficit to 8-3.
Oakland City's offense erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning, flipping the script and taking a 10-8 lead. Facing their final three outs, the Cougars responded with resilience.
Taylor Clark opened the seventh with a base hit, and Grange followed with a double down the line to drive her in. Two batters later, freshman
Taylor Mydlarz delivered a clutch RBI single to tie the game, and
Megan Bondy followed with the go-ahead hit, allowing Stewart to score the winning run.
Ambler added three more hits in the nightcap, scoring twice and driving in two, while five more Cougars recorded multiple hits in the game. Grange finished with three RBIs, and DuBois earned her first collegiate win in the circle.
Spring Arbor returns to action Saturday with a doubleheader against Brescia University.
