Game one box
Game two box

BETHANY, Okla. (March 7, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian University suffered two one-run losses at the hands of Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) in Sooner Athletic Conference baseball Saturday.

The Eagles had 19 hits in a 17-16 loss in the first game, then the Crimson Storm pulled out a 2-1 pitchers'-duel win in the nightcap. Southern Nazarene won both games in walkoff style in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The setbacks drop Oklahoma Christian to 2-7 in the SAC and 6-11 overall. The Eagles hit the diamond again on Thursday against Oklahoma Baptist University at Dobson Field.

Saturday's opener saw SNU score twice in the bottom of the seventh for a come-from-behind one-run victory. The Eagles used four pitchers in the game and forced the Crimson Storm to cycle through five hurlers.

SNU led 3-0 after two innings, then OC jumped on top 4-3 in the top of the third thanks to RBI hits from Jordan Price, Ray Long and Jeff Davis. The Crimson Storm responded with a six-run home half to go up 9-4 after three innings.

It was 11-8 SNU heading into the sixth inning, but OC's bats came alive in the frame.

The Eagles ripped seven hits in the inning and scored seven runs to take a 12-11 cushion. Chance Nichols got the ball rolling with a two-run home run, then Ray Long crushed a three-run shot. Quaid Johns completed the big inning with a two-RBI single to give OC a one-run lead.

The Crimson Storm came back with four runs in their half of the inning to go up 15-12, then the Eagles scored four in the top of the seventh to reclaim the lead, 16-15. Price led off the frame with a homer, then Chris Miller hit a RBI double and Johns once again drove in a pair on a single.

But SNU got a leadoff triple from Sam Mercado to start the seventh, and Derek Brewer ended the game with a walkoff homer.

The Eagles' offensive state line was impressive in the first game. The team had a season-high 19 hits (19-for-39, .487) with three homers and three triples. Price went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Long went 2-for-4 with four driven in. OC also got three-hit efforts from Davis (3-for-4), Johns (3-for-4) and Nichols (3-for-5).

Tyler Akins took the loss to fall to 0-1, while Chase Roten (1-1) won it for the Crimson Storm.

The nightcap couldn't have been any different from the opener as the teams combined for three runs on 14 hits.

The Eagles got on starter Tyler Sutton's back, and the Millington, Tenn., native delivered with 6.1 innings of two-run baseball. He struck out three and walked two.

OC led 1-0 after an inning of play thanks to a Tyler Gipson RBI single. The score held until the third inning when SNU scored once to lock it at 1-1. It was still tied in the bottom of the seventh, but Roten singled with the bases loaded to give the Crimson Storm the sweep.

Price led OC at the plate with a 3-for-3 showing. Gipson (1-for-3), Miller (1-for-3), Josh Balch (1-for-3) and Nichols (1-for-3) had OC's other four hits.

-OC-