Box score
OC-NW photo gallery

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 19, 2009) – Oklahoma Christian University opened its 2009 Sooner Athletic Conference baseball season with a 9-4 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State at Dobson Field on Thursday.

The victory improves the Eagles to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference. Oklahoma Christian and Northwestern will complete their three-game series with a doubleheader in Alva on Saturday.

OC scored six runs – all with two outs – in the second inning on Thursday for the crushing blow.

But the game started wildly, as the Rangers scored all four of their runs in the first inning. A pair of infield hits got NWOSU going, then an OC error, and three-straight Ranger singles made the score 4-0.

But the Eagles – who swept NWOSU last year – got right to work in their half of the first. Freshman leadoff hitter Dillon Andrews didn't care to look at any offerings from Ranger starter Nathan Clover, and he swatted the first pitch he saw deep over the right-field fence to start OC's comeback.

OC starter Ryan Morris erased a one-out single with a 6-4-3 double play to end the top of the second before the Eagles started their big inning. 

With two gone in the home half, Josh Balch singled into left field and scored on an Andrews triple to make it 4-2. Andrews scored on a Ray Long bunt, then two batters later, Tyler Gipson lined a double down the right-field line to plate Long and Jordan Price to put OC ahead 5-4.

The scoring continued when Jeff Davis doubled home Gipson before Zac Coshow singled home pinch-running Ryan Harper to up OC's lead to 7-4.

From there Morris took control. The sophomore right-hander sat NWOSU down in order in the third, fourth and sixth innings before exiting in the eighth.

The Eagles gave Morris some insurance with two runs in the seventh. Jay White plated Chance Nichols with a triple, then White touched home on a squeeze play thanks to a bunt single from David Garner to complete the scoring with OC up 9-4.

Morris improved to 2-0 on the season after going 7.0 innings and allowing only one earned run on eight hits. He also struck out four and didn't walk a single batter. Combined with his first start vs. Peru State (Neb.) last week, Morris has a 1.93 ERA in 14.0 innings pitched this season.

Andrews went 2-for-2 in the game with two RBIs and two runs scored. Gipson (2-for-4) and Nichols (2-for-3) also had two hits for OC. Both of Gipson's knocks were doubles, and a total of 10 Eagles recorded a hit in the victory.

-OC-