Tanner Hessman went 4-for-6 for OC, but the Eagles dropped a pair of games Saturday at Mid-America Christian.
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 28, 2012) – Despite strong starting-pitching performances by Luke Sandoval and Ryan Nash, Oklahoma Christian ended its baseball season Saturday by losing twice at Mid-America Christian, 4-0 and 4-3.
OC (8-34, 3-27 Sooner Athletic Conference) managed only nine hits combined in the two seven-inning games against MACU (9-38, 5-25), although Tanner Hessman went 4-for-6 for the Eagles in the doubleheader.
In the opener, Sandoval (3-6) allowed only three hits but was the victim of three OC errors. Of MACU's four runs, only one was earned. Sandoval walked two and struck out one while throwing his second straight complete game.
The Evangels went up 2-0 after Jon Jon Lemos' double to left field in the fourth inning scored Joe Moore, who had singled, and Luis Martinez, who reached on an error by third baseman Blain Elliott. In the fifth, MACU added two more runs thanks in good part to two errors by shortstop Garrett Stephenson.
Ryan Rathbun (2-6) went the distance for the Evangels on the mound, allowing three hits, walking four and striking out three.
OC scored once in each of the first three innings in the second game. Daniel Thompson tripled and scored on Caleb Price's single in the first, and in the second, Hessman doubled and scored when he and Heath Steele successfully executed a double steal. Dillon Andrews reached on an infield single and scored on a single by Thompson in the third, making it 3-0.
The Evangels scored once in the sixth and pulled within 3-2 on a leadoff homer by Taylor Daniels in the seventh. Nash left three batters later, after the Evangels put runners on first and second. Kelby Reneau walked Shane Brinker to load the bases and Moore singled to centerfield, scoring Justin Rivera and pinch-runner Dustin Carlsward with the decisive runs.
Nash (0-5) allowed three hits in 6 1/3 innings, walking one, hitting two batters and striking out four. Colby Crawford (4-10) pitched a complete game for MACU, giving up six hits, walking one and striking out seven.
The games were the last ones for OC coach Chuck White, who announced in late March that he planned to step down at season's end. OC announced Wednesday that Lonny Cobble will be the Eagles' new coach.
