Box Score COLUMBUS, Ga. — Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, it looked like Cal State San Marcos might have a nice weekend off at the NAIA National Championships at South Commons Softball Complex, but the No. 4 Oklahoma City Stars erased an 3-1 deficit to knock off the Cougars 8-3 Friday afternoon, sending CSUSM into an elimination game Saturday.

The Cougars, playing as the away team, nearly jumped on the Stars early by loading the bases in the top of the first inning but couldn't bring a run across the plate.

After Cortney Allen threw a perfect first inning with two strikeouts, CSUSM capitalized in the second inning on the play of a couple of standout freshman. Tani Leasau led off the inning with a walk, and later scored on a Caylyn Rodriguez single to right center field.

CSUSM extended their lead to 3-0 in the third inning after an Alex Miller single, a Sarah Quiambao walk, a Patricia Banda RBI single to bring home Miller, and a wild pitch by Stars pitcher Kyndra Holasek to bring home Quiambao.

The Stars struck back in the bottom half of the third with a run of their own after a two out RBI double, but the score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth, when everything unraveled for San Marcos.

Oklahoma City closed the gap to 3-2 with a no-out RBI double, and then took the lead on a three run homerun to left field to turn the tables at 5-3. By the time the inning was over, the Stars had scored three more times and the damage was done, touching up Allen (34-6) for the most runs allowed in her prodigious CSUSM career.

Offensively, Alex Miller went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate, which amazingly lowered her batting average thus far in the NAIA National Championships to .846 (11-for-13).

The red-hot Miller and the Cougars will battle for their postseason lives tomorrow against No. 10 St. Xavier (Ill.) at 10:00am EST. St. Xavier lost to No. 8 Reinhardt 3-0 Friday, and the winner of the CSUSM/St. Xavier game will face the loser of No. 2 Lubbock Christian and No. 15 Spring Hill.

For an up to date tournament bracket, please click here.