Box Score LUBBOCK, Texas (April 26, 2015) – Lubbock Christian (Texas) historically has dominated its baseball series against Oklahoma Christian, but if this weekend's results are any indication, OC could be in the process of turning that around.
Ben McKenzie and
Chase Kuwitzky each had three hits,
Hunter Raley pitched five solid innings and the Eagles seized control with a five-run fifth inning en route to a 10-8 win on Sunday afternoon at Hays Field, giving OC its second series win in its last three trips to Lubbock.
Before taking two of three games this weekend, OC (27-17, 13-11 Heartland Conference) had won only four times in 32 games at LCU (22-23, 9-12).
OC remained fifth in the Heartland standings, just behind Arkansas-Fort Smith, which has a 13-9 league mark (thanks to two cancelled games against Lubbock Christian). OC will visit UAFS on Friday and Saturday and would need a series sweep to move into fourth place.
The game was tied 3-3 before the Eagles' fifth-inning outburst. A double by
Derek Jones off Lubbock Christian starter Levi Westerlund (2-6) scored
Zac Cobble, and McKenzie greeted reliever Jay Rawlins with a two-run single that made it 6-3. A fielder's choice grounder by
Caden Cleveland scored McKenzie to make it 7-3.
On a subsequent grounder by
Cody Rosecrans, a slide by Cleveland took out Lubbock Christian second baseman Hunter McFall. Field umpire Lolie Zamora initially ruled interference on Cleveland and called Rosecrans out, but OC coach
Lonny Cobble asked Zamora to speak with home-plate umpire Demond Thomas, and after doing so for about four minutes, Zamora reversed his decision, which allowed another run to score and put OC ahead 8-3.
Up 9-3 after
Kyle Lacy's solo home run in the top of the sixth, OC gave up three runs in the bottom of the sixth, two on a double by McFall. The Eagles rebuilt their lead to 10-6 in the seventh on a run-scoring single by Kuwitzky, but the Chaparrals threatened again in the eighth, as Jose Favela and Brett Wilhelm each delivered a run-scoring single off OC reliever
Kolton Brown.
Brown escaped the jam, however, by coaxing a double-play grounder from Nikko Velarde. The Eagles turned another double play in the ninth inning as Brown recorded his second save.
Raley (5-4) gave up eight hits and three runs – all on a first-inning double by Wilhelm – in five innings. The junior left-hander recorded five strikeouts.
OC will return to action Monday for a scheduled doubleheader at NAIA No. 4-ranked Oklahoma Baptist (45-4). Game time in Shawnee is set for 4 p.m.
