Game one box
Game two box

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (May 1, 2009) – The Oklahoma Christian University baseball team split a soggy doubleheader against Rogers State University (Okla.) Friday, dropping the first game 4-1 in a pitcher's duel and taking the second game 9-7 thanks to a late-inning rally.

The Eagles end the year at 19-26 and 10-18 in Sooner Athletic Conference play. Rain has forced the cancellation of the remainder of the series in Claremore, Okla.

Game One

Despite brilliant defensive plays by third baseman Tyler Gipson and shortstop Jordan Price, RSU jumped on top 2-0 after scoring a run in the first and fourth innings.

The Eagles answered back in the bottom of the fifth when Chance Nichols tripled to left center with two outs, then scored on an error by the RSU shortstop to cut the score to 2-1.

Finally, RSU pushed across two more runs in the top of the sixth to put the score at 4-1.

Tyler Sutton pitched all seven innings for the Eagles. The senior right-hander turned in a solid performance on the mound giving up four runs on nine hits and posting two strikeouts.

RSU pitching handcuffed the Eagle hitters by only giving up five hits in seven innings. Ray Long, Zac Coshow, Quiad Johns, Justin Ebert and Nichols all pitched in offensively for the Eagles with one hit.

Game Two

In game two the Eagles got out to an early lead by putting three runs on the board in the second inning. After a Jeff Davis walk, Ebert tripled to right field to bring in a run and make the score 1-0. Gipson followed with a double to left centerfield to drive in Ebert to make the score 2-0.

After Gipson advanced to third on a passed ball, Nichols singled to centerfield to score Gipson and make the score 3-0.

The Eagles held the lead until the fourth inning when RSU's Rob Rodriguez hit a grand slam over the left-field wall to give the Hillcats a 4-3 cushion.

The Eagles tied the game in the fifth when Cody Carpenter scored on an error to make it 4-4, and Johns followed with a sacrifice fly to score Long from third and give the Eagles a 5-4 lead.

The lead would not last for long. In the bottom of the fifth, RSU pushed across three runs to regain the lead at 7-5.

But the Eagles scored once in the sixth when Nichols scored on another RSU miscue to make the score 7-6.Then in the seventh inning, OC rallied to take the lead. Coshow led off with a homerun to right field to tie the game at 7-7 before Ebert doubled to left center to drive in Johns.

The Eagles added another run when Gipson flied out to right field to drive in Ebert and
make the score 9-7.

Ryan Kirk shut down RSU in the bottom of the seventh, recording two strikeouts to get the save and give the Eagles the win. Kirk closed out the season, and his collegiate career, on a high note for the Eagles. The senior left-hander also slammed the door in OC's win over No. 2 Oklahoma City earlier in the year.

Ryan Morris threw five solid innings for the Eagles, only allowing five hits and posting five
strikeouts.

Riley Jones got the win for the Eagles after posting a scoreless inning and getting one strikeout.Ebert led OC at the plate at 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Nichols went 2-for-3 with a RBI and Carpenter went 2-for-4.

Seniors John Ihle, Kirk, Long and Sutton were honored in between games. The four seniors were instrumental in resurrecting the OC baseball program.

-OC-