Chickasha, Okla. – For the second time in their five NAIA Opening Round appearances in the last eight years, the Friends University Falcons will compete in the Chickasha, Okla. bracket on the campus of the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO).
The Falcons will be the fifth seed and open against fourth-seeded Morningside University on Monday (May 11). Top-seeded and No. 4-ranked USAO, second-seeded and No. 15-ranked LSU Alexandria and (RV) third-seeded College of Idaho comprise the rest of the bracket.
A win over Morningside would put the Falcons in a game later Monday evening vs. USAO, while a loss would set up a matchup against the loser of the LSU Alexandria/College of Idaho game on Tuesday (May 12).
In the NAIA Opening Round for the fifth time in eight seasons under head coach Suzanne Unruh, the Falcons qualified for this most recent appearance by winning three games in one day last Thursday (Apr. 30) to finish as the runner-up in the KCAC Postseason Tournament to regular season and tourney champion Evangel University.
The 31-20 Falcons are powered by their four All-KCAC performers in Tamara Lozoya, Ezra Arredondo, Jenna Ormiston and Cambell Riordan.
Lozoya anchored the Falcon lineup this season with a .426 batting average while slugging six home runs and driving home 37. In her first season with the program, Arredondo added punch to the Falcon lineup and hit .371 with 18 RBIs and a .472 on-base percentage.
Ormiston fueled the Falcon pitching staff and is tied for third in the KCAC in wins (15) and has a 3.07 ERA across 157.1 innings in the circle. Riordan made an immediate impact in her first season with the Falcons, ranking tied for fourth in the KCAC in home runs (nine) and hitting .397.
Click HERE for the full NAIA Opening Round schedule.
