Box Score TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Feb. 7, 2015) – Oklahoma Christian baseball coach Lonny Cobble promised before the season that the Eagles would run the bases well and not strike out too many times.

"I must have jinxed us," he said Saturday, "because we didn't do either well today."

OC jumped to a 2-0 lead after two innings in its season opener, but 18 strikeouts limited the Eagles' offensive chances the rest of the way, allowing Northeastern State to rally for a 3-2 win in 10 innings on a warm, sunny afternoon at Rousey Field. Eric Kirkpatrick delivered the game-winning single for the Riverhawks.
"We had our chances," Cobble said. "We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it. But it's a long season and we'll probably win some games along the way that we shouldn't. We can't get too high or too low. We've just got to minimize games like these."

Zac Cobble walked with one out in the top of the first and scored on a two-out double by Derek Jones, but Jones – in his first OC at-bat – was thrown out at third base trying to stretch his hit into a triple. In the second inning, another OC newcomer, Ben McKenzie, tripled to left-center field and scored on a throwing error by Northeastern shortstop Jared Aschbrenner, making it 2-0.

Meanwhile, OC right-hander Dillon Endecott – making his first start this season after recording 13 saves as a junior in 2014 – cruised along until the seventh inning. With one out, Northeastern's Jamie Graeser reached on a throwing error by McKenzie and Preston Cash singled when OC left fielder Kyle Lacy lost the ball in the sun. Graeser went to third on the hit and scored on an error by Lacy.

OC and Endecott almost escaped without further damage, but with two outs, pinch-hitter Fabio Arcelay tripled to center field to score Cash and tie the game.

McKenzie opened the eighth with a double for OC but was picked off second base by Northeastern reliever Waylon Davis. The Eagles left a pair of baserunners on in both the ninth and 10th innings.

Gabriel Wurth singled to lead off the bottom of the 10th for the Riverhawks and took second on an error by McKenzie. A throwing error on OC reliever Dylon Sturges (0-1) allowed Bryce Davenport to reach base and Wurth to advance to third base.

An intentional walk loaded the bases, and with one out, Kirkpatrick singled to left field, scoring Wurth and making a winner of reliever Kyle Shambaugh (1-0), who pitched two innings for Northeastern.

Jones, McKenzie and Jackson Matthews each had a pair of hits to pace OC's nine-hit attack.

The Eagles will visit longtime small-college power Southeastern Oklahoma State for a doubleheader on Tuesday before playing their home opener Friday against West Texas A&M.