Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 24, 2017) –
Dalton Rentz had every reason to be rattled after Cameron scored three unearned runs against him during the first two innings on Friday afternoon.
Instead, Oklahoma Christian's big senior right-hander settled down and pitched seven strong innings, allowing the Eagles time to rally, then pull away for a 7-3 win over Cameron at Dobson Field in the first of a three-game baseball series.
OC (7-6) and Lone Star Conference power Cameron (10-2) will play a doubleheader on Saturday in Lawton.
"Cameron has got a great program," OC coach
Lonny Cobble said. "It's nice to get a win against a big program like that and hopefully we'll go there tomorrow and battle those guys again and hopefully come out with a win or two there.
Pitching on a chilly, blustery day, Rentz (3-0) appeared out of the first inning without any damage before a misplayed grounder opened the door for the Aggies. Two runs eventually scored, one on a single up the middle by Oswaldo Godina. In the second inning, a misplayed ball in the outfield gave Cameron another run and a 3-0 lead.
Those proved to be the Aggies' only serious threats against Rentz, who didn't allow another baserunner to reach third base over the next give innings. In fact, the Aggies didn't record a hit against Rentz during his final four innings on the mound and had only four overall. Rentz struck out five batters.
"Dalton really did a good job, from the first pitch through seven innings," Cobble said. "He threw about 100 pitches on the day. He pitched out of a couple of jams that we put him in defensively. But the guy never panicked. He just battled through. Even with some of the miscues, he came into the dugout and patted guys on the back and said, 'Hey, I'll get you another one.' The guy just keeps his composure."
The Eagles put runners on second and third base with no outs in the first but came away empty. But in the third,
Lane Paul kick-started OC's offense with a booming two-run double to center field that pulled the Eagles within 3-2. In the fifth,
Cory Duran and
Josh Garbrecht each hit a run-scoring single, with the latter putting OC ahead 4-3 against Cameron starter Reid Garrett (1-2).
Kolton Brown's one-out triple and a two-out, two-run double to left field by
Chase Kuwitzky keyed a three-run seventh for OC, making it 7-3. OC relievers
Garett Hill and
Jake Moore locked it down from there, each pitching a scoreless inning.
"I thought guys up and down the lineup really battled today," Cobble said. "The top of our order was getting on base and we could bunt some people over and put a little pressure on their defense. … The guys are starting to step up and get hits with men on base. We haven't had a lot of extra-base hits this year, but the guys are starting to find the gaps and down the line. It worked out great today."
Lonny Cobble discusses the game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-yKO787vJU&feature=youtu.be
