Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SHAWNEE, Okla. (Feb. 9, 2018) – Oklahoma Christian came oh-so-close to a rarity for a baseball opponent playing at Oklahoma Baptist – recording a sweep of the traditionally powerful Bison – but the Eagles settled for a doubleheader split on Friday at Bison Field at Ford Park.
A six-run fourth inning carried the Eagles to a 9-8 win in the first game, and they overcame an early deficit before surrendering two late runs to OBU that gave the Bison a 7-6 win in the second game.
OC (2-5) fell behind OBU 3-0 in the opener before the Eagles' big inning, keyed by a two-run single to center field by
Ryan Ward. A throwing error on OBU shortstop Brock Carter allowed three runs to score, making it 6-3.
After the Bison scored to make it 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles picked up two more runs in the fifth and
Kolton Brown's sacrifice fly brought home
Jake Collins to give OC an 8-4 advantage.
OBU (5-1) had pulled within 8-7 before Brown hit a solo home run over the left-field wall – the first of his two homers on the day – to start the eighth inning. That insurance run proved important, as the Bison's Zane Gelphman answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. But Collins moved from third base to pitcher in the ninth inning and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to earn his first collegiate save.
OC freshman
Robbie Suhr (1-0) pitched three innings of relief to pick up the win, while OBU starter Michael Yarbor (0-1) gave up seven hits and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.
A five-run third inning put OBU ahead 5-3 in the second game. Brown's solo shot in the sixth inning pulled the Eagles within 5-4 and
Alex Garcia's single through the left side in the seventh scored
Hunter Markwardt and
Garrett Wages to put OC in the lead.
OBU tied the game in the seventh. Gelphman reached on an infield single and Josh Timms and Juan Gonzalez followed with singles to load the bases. Gelphman scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Jake Gozzo.
Timms' double to left-center field in the bottom of the eighth scored Brett Berghammer, who had drawn a one-out walk from OC reliever
Abe Spencer (0-1).
Caleb Bly (2-0), who pitched a perfect eighth inning, picked up the pitching win for the Bison.
The Eagles now will face a 20-day layoff. They won't play again until visiting Cameron on March 2.
