Box score

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (April 14, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian University and the University of Central Oklahoma renewed their classic NAIA District IX baseball rivalry under the lights at Dobson Field on Tuesday evening.

The Bronchos (22-24) jumped out to a 9-2 lead and never looked back in a 10-5 win. It was Oklahoma Christian's first game against a NCAA Division II opponent since the program's reinstatement last season. The Eagles are now 16-19 on the year.

Central Oklahoma posted its biggest inning in the first when it scored four runs. The Bronchos ripped five hits and went up 4-0 when Nate Matani hit a double to centerfield.

The Eagles got off to a quick start of their own when leadoff man Ray Long legged out a triple, then scored on an errant UCO throw to make it 4-1. OC then cut the lead in half when Quaid Johns singled through the right side to narrow the gap to 4-2.

But UCO scored three times in the second, and twice more in the third. Matani hit a three-run homer in the second and the Bronchos scored two fielder's-choice runs in the third.

OC outscored UCO 3-1 in the final six innings as both pitching staffs settled in. The Eagles got six innings of one-run ball out of reliever Brady Hamar to finish the game. Long hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth before Jeff Davis and Zac Coshow connected on RBI singles in the fifth and sixth innings respectively to make the score 10-5 UCO.

The teams combined to use nine pitchers (UCO – 5, OC – 4) and only Hamar worked more than two innings. The six-inning outing was the junior's longest of the season. Hamar struck out nine Bronchos and allowed only one run on five hits.

Long (3-for-4, 2B, 3B, RBI) and Coshow (3-for-5, RBI) paced the Eagles offensively with six of the team's nine hits. Derek James (1-2) suffered the loss after pitching the first inning.

Mitani went 4-for-5 with four RBIs for UCO, and Ryan Wagner (3-2) got the win after pitching the third and fourth innings.

The Eagles travel to Mid-America Christian University (Okla.) Wednesday for a 2 p.m. makeup game. OC then welcomes No. 1 Lubbock Christian University (Texas) for a three-game set this weekend. OC and LCU are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 4 p.m. on Friday.

-OC-