Game one box
Game two box

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Feb. 23, 2008) – Oklahoma Christian dropped a pair of Sooner Athletic Conference games to Southern Nazarene (Okla.) Saturday afternoon at Dobson Field.

The Crimson Storm, ranked No. 36 in the latest NAIA poll, outhit OC by a combined 17-to-6 en route to wins of 7-1 and 15-1.

OC, playing its first baseball season since 2001, falls to 1-5-1 and 0-5 in SAC play with the setbacks. SNU jumped to 11-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

SNU used a four-run third inning to set the tone in game one. The Crimson Storm only managed one hit in the inning, but two walks and an error were enough to plate four runs.

The Eagles got on the board in the final frame. Jordan Price led off the inning with a double into the left-centerfield gap. The freshman then came around to score on Tyler Gipson's sacrifice fly.

Price, OC's leading hitter at .588, was 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored. Ray Long recorded the Eagles only other hit.

Tyler Sutton pitched five innings and allowed six runs, but only four earned runs. The Millington, Tenn., native struck out five and surrendered seven hits.

Game two started off promising for the Eagles. OC took a 1-0 lead after Jeff Davis singled to left field and came around to score after a balk and wild pitch by SNU's Chris Hardin.

But after a three-run Crimson Storm second frame, SNU erupted for 11 runs in the third. Samuel Mercado highlighted the inning with a grand slam over the left-field fence. The Storm held a 14-1 edge when the dust cleared.

Another run in the fourth took SNU to the 15-1 win.

Price was 1-for-3 in game two with another two-bagger. Ray Long and Jeff Davis also recorded 1-for-3 games.

Hardin pitched five innings for the win. He struck out nine batters and did not allow an earned run.

The Eagles are back in action on Monday at Dobson Field. OC hosts Briar Cliff (Iowa) in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader. OC returns to SAC play on Feb. 29 with a 2:00 pm game vs. Science and Arts of Oklahoma at Dobson Field.