OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Mar. 31, 2011) – The Oklahoma Christian baseball team narrowly dropped Thursday night's game against Northwestern Oklahoma State University as the Eagles fell 7-6 in the final inning.
A gloom outcome seemed inevitable for the Eagles during the top of the first inning when the Rangers put up five runs to take an early 5-0 lead over the Eagles.
Despite such, the Eagles responded with a run in the bottom of the inning when Dillon Andrews made it home on a fielder's choice hit by Dustin Andrews.
Still trailing by four runs, the Eagles got things under control defensively as they managed to hold the Rangers scoreless over the next seven innings. Following a quick second, the Eagles put up two additional runs in the bottom of the third to sit just two runs shy of Northwestern Oklahoma.
Caleb Price was the first one to cross the plate heading home on a ground out from Dillon Andrews who netted the RBI. Jordan Price followed Andrews by hitting a sacrifice fly to send home Taylor Parcus from third.
A defensive battle ensued as neither squad scored over the following four innings, until the bottom of the eighth when the Eagles sent three runners home to come back from a two-score deficit to a single run advantage.
Parcus tallied the first score of the inning heading home on a wild throw from the Rangers that allowed Dillon Andrews to reach second on a bunt. On the next at bat, Jordan Price blasted a double to send in Andrews for the score. Two at bats later, Clint Bowker bunted to allow Price to get home from third to take the one-run lead at 6-5.
After a tie up in the final inning, costly back-to-back errors on a single play allowed another Ranger score giving NWOSU the one-run lead at 7-6. Unable to respond in the bottom of the inning, the game was left to the Rangers at a single run difference.
Jordan Price led the Eagles for the evening going 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. Dillon Andrews contributed as well with 2-for-4 hitting, an RBI, and two runs scored.
The loss leaves the Eagles to a 15-10 season record and an even 7-7 record for conference play. OC will travel to Alva, Okla., on Saturday to finish out the series with a double header beginning at 1 p.m.
-OC-
