Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MAGNOLIA, Ark. (Feb. 12, 2016) – Oklahoma Christian seized early leads in both its baseball games on Friday in the Southern Arkansas Invitational, but the Eagles weren't able to hold onto them, falling to Central Missouri and the host school.
Central Missouri rallied to beat the Eagles 7-4 in an afternoon game, while No. 14 Southern Arkansas held off a late OC threat to win 6-3 at Goodheart Field on Friday night.
OC (3-3) has dropped three straight heading into its game on Saturday against Washburn (Kan.).
Against Central Missouri (1-3), OC led 1-0 in the first inning after
Kyle Lacy's single to right field scored
Derek Jones, who had doubled. The Mules tied the game in the top of the second, but OC went back ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the inning, with
Austin Orth hitting an RBI double and later scoring.
Jake Alexander's run-scoring double in the third pulled Central Missouri within 3-2 and the Mules took the lead with a three-run fourth, highlighted by a two-run double by Derek Cornell off OC starter
Jared Sterling (0-1).
Lacy hit a leadoff home run in the eighth inning, cutting OC's deficit to 6-4, but the Mules answered with an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Left-handed Central Missouri starter Tyler House (1-0) lasted 5 1/3 innings to get the pitching win, with Lucas Williams earning the save, allowing only two hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Jake Baxter starred for OC against Southern Arkansas (5-2), going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. His two-run homer over the centerfield wall in the top of the first gave the Eagles a quick lead, but the Muleriders responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning against Lacy (1-1), two on a double by Jake Tisevich.
The Muleriders extended their lead to 4-2 in the third inning on Trevor Rucker's RBI double. OC stranded two baserunners in the fifth and Southern Arkansas made it 6-2 with single runs in the sixth and seventh.
Baxter's eighth-inning, two-out double to left field scored
Derek Jones, who had singled, but the Eagles couldn't muster any more offense.
Hunter Mayo (1-1) recorded six strikeouts in seven innings to pick up the win for the Muleriders. Tisevich went 4-of-4 with three RBIs for Southern Arkansas.
