OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (March 14, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian University split a home doubleheader with Sooner Athletic Conference rival Oklahoma Baptist University Saturday.

The Eagles rallied in the bottom of the seventh to take game one, 5-4, but dropped the second game 9-2.

Game One

Jordan Price got the Eagles going in the first inning with a leadoff double. Ray Long followed with a double of his own to drive in Price and take an early 1-0 lead. Long advanced to third on a Tyler Gipson sacrifice fly to centerfield, and scored off of a Jeff Davis single to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Tyler Sutton held OBU scoreless through the first three innings, but gave up a home run to Justin Trejo to make the score 2-1.

OBU threatened again in the top of sixth inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. Riley Jones entered the game in relief for Sutton and got Victor Manzano to ground into a double play to end the inning.

OBU forced another OC pitching change in the top of the seventh, when Brady Hamar entered the game with runners on first and second and one out. Hamar got Matt Welch to strike out swinging for the second out, but Billy Thomas followed with a three-run homer to give OBU a 4-2 lead.

Cody Carpenter led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, and advanced to third on a single by Price. Long followed with a single to drive in Carpenter, cutting the lead to 4-3.

Gipson singled to right and advance to second, while Long moved to third on an error by OBU. Long would score on a single from Zac Coshow and tie the game at 4-4. Chris Miller came through with the game-winning pinch hit to left, driving in Gipson and giving the Eagles the victory.

Sutton threw 5.1 innings, giving up one run on seven hits, and recording four strikeouts. Hamar got the win, moving his record to 3-2.

Long led the Eagles offensively with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI.

Game Two

Justin Ebert gave up four runs in the top of the fourth to put the Eagles in an early hole, 4-0. OBU tacked on another run in the fourth inning to make the score 5-0.

Ebert went 5.1 innings and gave up six runs on four hits. Tim Dodd relieved Ebert in the sixth, but gave up three runs on two hits without recording an out. Bret Rodgers recorded the last two outs and got the Eagles out of the inning.

The Eagles had a hard time getting anything going from the plate, not scoring any runs in the first five innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Gipson got things going with a leadoff walk. Davis followed with a two-run homer to left, getting the Eagles on the board and accounting for the final 9-2 score.

Davis led the Eagles offensively with two RBI on two hits.

The Eagles return to action Sunday in Shawnee, Okla. for the final game of the three-game series against OBU. OC hosts Midlands Lutheran (Neb.) at 3 p.m. Monday.

-OC-