Box score

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (April 10, 2009) – Oklahoma City University showed why it is ranked No. 2 in NAIA baseball Friday night. A night after losing to Oklahoma Christian University 18-11, the Stars pounded out 22 hits and five home runs in a 17-3 victory over the Eagles at Dobson Field.

The win gives Oklahoma City the season series two games to three. The Eagles scored seven runs in the sixth inning Thursday night to earn their first win over a ranked opponent since the program's resurrection last season. OC is now 16-18 and 8-12 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

OCU outscored OC 10-0 in the final four innings Friday to make a once competitive game a runaway.

The Stars got off to a quick start with four runs in the top of the first. Jason Machado hit a three-run homer with two outs after B.J. Wheeler hit a RBI single early in the inning.

The Eagles quickly cut the lead in half with a two-spot in their half. Zac Coshow – who hit two homers on Thursday night – roped an opposite-field double down the left-field line that plated Jordan Price and Ray Long to cut the Stars' lead to 4-2.

OCU scored three more times in the top of the third, all coming on a Brandon Moss homer over the centerfield fence.

OC again answered with a run in the home half when Tyler Gipson worked a bases-loaded walk. But the Eagles didn't score again in the game, and OCU settled in behind starting pitcher Garrett Parker. The Eagles managed only three hits off the hard-throwing right-hander the rest of the way, and none after the sixth inning.

OC hung around thanks to scoreless fourth and fifth innings from starter Tyler Sutton. But OCU got into the Eagle bullpen and scored once in the sixth, then twice in the seventh and eighth, and five more times in the ninth for the win.

Quaid Johns and Justin Ebert each went 2-for-4 in the game, and freshman Cody Carpenter had a 2-for-5 effort. Price and Coshow each went 1-for-4 to complete OC's eight-hit night.

Sutton suffered the loss after surrendering eight runs (seven earned) in 5.1 innings. The senior fanned four and walked one.

Parker improved to 8-0 with an eight-inning, three-run (two earned) showing. He had 10 strikeouts and two walks.

OCU went 22-for-48 (.458) at the plate and had six players notch more than one hit. Wheeler led the way at 5-for-5 with four RBIs. Wheeler, Moss, Machado, Brent Weaver and David Mann each went deep in the game for the Stars who improved to 38-5 and 17-4 in the SAC.

The Eagles play again Monday against Mid-America Christian (Okla.) in a nine-inning makeup game. OC returns to Dobson Field on Tuesday to host NCAA Division II Central Oklahoma at 6 p.m.

-OC-