Story by Chad Waller, Director of Athletics Communications & Media
Pictures courtesy of Paul Penders Photography, Click HERE to order

CLERMONT, Fla. – (Box Score) (Bracket) Top seed and defending national champion Oklahoma City pushed across three runs in the decisive fifth inning and went on to blank No. 8 Southern Oregon, 4-0, in a winner's bracket game at the 2017 NAIA Softball World Series at Legends Way Ballfields on Saturday. The 37th annual event is hosted by PFX Athletics for the first time. Follow along on social media with #NAIASBWorldSeries on Twitter (@NAIA), Facebook (@PlayNAIA) and Instagram (@playnaia).

Up Next:
Oklahoma City remains in the winner's bracket and will face No. 5 LSU Alexandria (La.) Monday at 5 p.m. EDT. Southern Oregon falls into the elimination bracket Monday at 12:30 p.m. EDT to tangle with No. 7 Warner (Fla.).

Game-Changer:
Madison Ellis' double with one out in the top of the fifth inning scored Oklahoma City's first two runs. She drove in Kali Pugh and Jaci Smith, who both reached on singles. Two batters later, Laci Joyner hit the third of back-to-back-to-back doubles to plate McRae Cayton to push the Stars lead to 3-0. Oklahoma City entered the game No. 2 in the NAIA with 118 doubles.

Game Notes:
Oklahoma City continues to better its NAIA record of World Series wins (121), to go along with a record nine titles and 30 appearances… The Stars have now won six-straight games in the World Series after winning their ninth red banner in 2016… Southern Oregon is competing in its first-ever World Series and now is 1-1… The Raiders get shut out for the fourth time this year… Oklahoma City now has posted 35 shutouts on the year... Kali Pugh and Jaci Smith both gathered a pair of hits for the Stars.

Player of the Game:
Oklahoma City's Georgia Wall – a sophomore pitcher from Marlow, Okla., -- moved to 30-0 on the year and 57-1 in her two-year Star career. She struck out five batters, walked one and allowed three hits, all singles. She finished with 89 total pitches. Wall and her defense were only threatened in one inning – the bottom of the sixth – when the Raiders put a runner on third base. At no other time did Southern Oregon put a runner past first base.

How to Watch:
Stretch Internet, the NAIA's official video-streaming company of NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2016 NAIA Softball World Series on the NAIA Network. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $29.95 or the day package for $9.95. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.