Ryan Nash started on the mound Monday night for OC against No. 9 Oklahoma Baptist.

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 12, 2012) – Daniel Howell's two-out single scored Mitchell Prophet in the top of the 12th inning and No. 9 Oklahoma Baptist held on for a 7-6 win over Oklahoma Christian on Monday night at Dobson Field, completing a sweep of the three-game series between the baseball teams.

Oklahoma Baptist (22-2, 6-0 Sooner Athletic Conference) led 6-0 after 6½ innings. But led by the heroics of Heath Steele, OC (7-9, 3-8) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the bottom of the ninth off OBU's standout closer, Jesus Carlos, who entered the game leading the SAC with seven saves.

"I was proud of our guys," OC coach Chuck White said. "We got down early 6-0 and we battled back. We didn't give in. We played good defense. We can build on an effort like that. We don't like the result but we sure like the effort."

Carlos (1-0) entered the game leading the SAC with seven saves, but ended up pitching the final four innings for the Bison – his longest stint of the season. He held off the Eagles despite allowing a baserunner in each of the three extra innings. None of those runners made it past first base.

Left-hander Heath Orndorff (0-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief for the Eagles and retired the first eight batters in extra innings before surrendering a single up the middle to Prophet.

Daniel Baptista followed with another single thru the hole at second base and Howell then smoked a hard grounder into left field. Left fielder Steele's throw home to catcher Chris Miller was on line but a step too late to catch Prophet.

Orndorff "did a great job," White said. "That's what we've got to have. We've got to have our seniors step up and he has done that for us this year. He doesn't throw hard, but he's consistent and he battles. He's become a real asset."

In the bottom of the 12th, Dillon Andrews drew a leadoff walk but Tanner Hessman fouled out on a bunt attempt before Carlos struck out Jerry Owen and pinch-hitter Cody Alsup.

Michael Cerda's three-run home run in the second inning off OC starter Ryan Nash gave OBU a 4-0 lead. Daniel Howell hit a solo home run in the fourth to extend the Bison's lead to 5-0 and they added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Dillon Usiak.

Steele's three-run home run in the seventh cut OBU's lead in half and Hessman singled to score Evan Draper to make it 6-4.

In the ninth, Steele tripled down the right-field line and scored on the play when OBU second baseman Greg Nelson's throw to third base sailed into the OC dugout. Pinch-hitter Daniel Thompson walked, went to second on a sacrifice by Garrett Stephenson and scored the tying run on a one-out single by Andrews.

Andrews was thrown out trying to steal second and Hessman flew out to centerfield, ending the rally.

Steele finished 3-for-5 for the Eagles. Baptista went 3-for-6 for OBU.

The game was the first of five OC will play during a four-day stretch. The Eagles will host Briar Cliff (Iowa) in a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday, York (Neb.) in a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. Wednesday and SAC rival St. Gregory's in a nine-inning game Thursday.