Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WICHITA, Kan. (April 13, 2017) – Starting pitchers Dalton Rentz and Mason McAlister essentially gave Oklahoma Christian's bullpen the day off Thursday, turning in dominant performances as the Eagles swept a doubleheader from Newman (Kan.) 4-0 and 6-1 at McCarthy Field.

The sweep moved the Eagles (23-17, 10-7 Heartland Conference) past St. Edward's (Texas) into fifth place in the league standings. The top four teams in the regular season will qualify for the Heartland postseason baseball tournament and OC still has games remaining against two of the current top four teams.

First, though, the Eagles will look to finish a series sweep at Newman (16-21, 4-10) on Friday at noon.

Rentz (8-2) became the first Heartland pitcher this season to record eight wins, throwing a two-hitter in Thursday's opener while posting his second straight complete-game shutout. The senior right-handr from Mobile, Ala., struck out nine Jets while raising his season total to 75 Ks, also tops in the Heartland.

He ran into trouble only once, in the second, after two walks and an error allowed the Jets to load the bases with two outs, but Rentz struck out Ked Bailey to end the threat. Newman didn't advance a runner past second base the rest of the game.

Garrett Wages singled up the middle to lead off the third for OC against Newman starter Joe Cannady (1-4) and scored on Lane Paul's single through the left side with two outs. The Eagles made it 2-0 in the fourth, when Jake Collins' single to left field scored Josh Garbrecht, who had led off the inning with a single to left-center field.

Chad Kennedy walked and scored on Jake Baxter's single in the sixth and the Eagles added a fourth run in the seventh, when Wages was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on an error.

Cannady also went the distance for Newman, allowing six hits and striking out seven.

McAlister (3-3), a junior right-hander from Yukon, picked up where Rentz left off, scattering five hits and pitching a season-long eight innings before giving way to reliever Michael Basler, who pitched a scoreless ninth for OC.

The Eagles provided all the offense they'd need with a three-run first, keyed by a two-run single through the left side by Jake Collins. With the bases loaded, Isaac Holt was hit by a pitch by Newman starter Collin Loutensock, bringing home another run.

Collins hit a two-run home run over the left-field fence in the second inning to make it 5-0. Kennedy's RBI single in the fourth gave the Eagles a 6-0 lead. Newman's lone run on the day came in the fifth, when Bailey's sacrifice fly scored Easton Herring.