Waxahachie, TX | April 10, 2026 — Fight defined the day at the Lions Athletic Complex, but the Nelson University Lady Lions ran into a red-hot University of Science and Arts (Okla.) squad in a SAC doubleheader that tested every inch of resolve.
Game 1 was a straight-up heavyweight pitching battle. Braylei Pylant was locked in from the circle, delivering a complete-game performance that kept the Drovers quiet all afternoon. She scattered just four hits across seven innings and never issued a walk, attacking hitters and forcing weak contact all game long.
For six innings, it was a deadlock. Zeroes across the board. Every pitch mattered. Every out felt heavy.
Then came the fifth.
USAO strung together three hits in the inning, cashing in the only run of the game on an RBI single that barely cracked the stalemate. That would be the difference in a 1-0 final.
Nelson had its chances late. Layla Oliver sparked life with a hit, and Emma Ruiz delivered a clutch pinch-hit single in the seventh to bring the tying run aboard, but USAO's arm in the circle slammed the door with 11 strikeouts, escaping the jam and securing the narrow win.
Game 2 flipped the script in a hurry.
USAO came out aggressive and never let off the gas, plating runs in the first, second, and breaking things open with a big fourth inning. Extra-base hits stacked up, pressure mounted, and a three-run blast in the sixth put the game out of reach.
The Lady Lions battled, but couldn't find rhythm offensively, held hitless in the nightcap as USAO secured a 9-0 win.
Despite the scoreline, the Lady Lions continued to fight through lineup changes and pitching rotations, searching for a spark against a team that entered the day with one of the top records in the conference.
Next Up?
The Lady Lions return to the Lions Athletic Complex tomorrow to close the series against USAO in a Saturday doubleheader.
- University of Science and Arts (Okla.)
- Waxahachie, TX | Lions Athletic Complex
- First Pitch: 12:00 PM (DH)
Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
