Box Score GOODWELL, Okla. (May 3, 2014) – Some people say it doesn't count because of Oklahoma Christian's status as a school in the NCAA Division II membership process, but there's no denying what the final regular-season Heartland Conference standings show.

With a wild 16-13 win on Saturday over Oklahoma Panhandle State at the Aggie Baseball Field, OC sealed an outright third-place finish in the conference in the first season the Eagles played a full Heartland schedule.

OC (32-15, 19-11 Heartland) finished a game ahead of longtime Division II power St. Mary's (Texas) in league play and trailed only Lubbock Christian (26-4) and St. Edward's (23-7) in the standings. St. Edward's was awarded the conference title, because the conference has decided that programs in the Division II membership process (such as LCU and OC) cannot win a regular-season championship.

Under NCAA rules, the Eagles are ineligible to play in the conference postseason tournament, which will include the top four eligible finishers in the conference standings. The Eagles' attention now will turn to the National Christian College Athletic Association Central Region tournament, which will begin Tuesday at OC.

Against Panhandle State (12-37, 2-27), OC completed a series sweep, rolling up 19 hits and leading 15-1 at one point before surviving a nine-run seventh inning by the Aggies that made things interesting.

OC senior Garrett Stephenson went 4-for-5 and Jordan Lopez completed a sizzling series with a 3-for-4, three-RBI effort. Blake Stringer and Cory Eastwood each had a pair of hits for the Eagles.

OC took a 3-0 lead in the third inning against Panhandle State starter Zach Tingen (3-6). Lopez had a two-run single during a four-run sixth inning and Kolton Brown's three-run homer over the left-field fence highlighted a seven-run outburst in the top of the seventh that made it 15-1.

But the Aggies answered with the biggest inning this season by an OC opponent, scoring nine runs on just three hits by taking advantage of four hit batsmen, two walks and a wild pitch by the Eagles' bullpen. Robert Montoya had a two-run double for the Aggies during the inning.

OC added an insurance run in the eighth and that proved valuable. The Aggies had already scored a run and had the bases loaded with one out when OC closer Dillon Endecott entered the game. Endecott surrendered a two-out, two-run single to B.J. Henry but retired Nick Crosswhite on a popup to end the game and seal his league-leading 12th save of the season, extending his single-season and career records.

The Eagles will be the top seed in the NCCAA regional and will face either Crowley's Ridge (Ark.) or Hillsdale Baptist on Tuesday at 7 p.m.