Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 WICHITA, Kan. (March 10, 2018) –
Skyler Martin allowed only two hits over five innings in the opener and
Hunter Markwardt had three hits and three stolen bases in the second game as Oklahoma Christian swept Newman (Kan.) 4-1 and 8-6 on Saturday afternoon at McCarthy Field.
OC (8-6) took three of four games from Newman (6-12) in a nonconference series between Heartland Conference foes that was mandated by the league. Newman will visit Oklahoma City later this season for another four-game series that will count in the league standings.
Martin (2-0) struck out six batters in the first game before
Garett Hill, then
Jake Collins, each pitched an inning of shutout relief, with Collins picking up his fourth save of the baseball season.
Garrett Wages' RBI single in the second inning scored Collins to put OC up 1-0. Collins again singled and scored in the fourth, that time on a single by
Brice Smith. After the Jets pulled within 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles added two insurance runs in the fifth off Newman starter Samuel Hersh (0-2), as both
Chad Kennedy and
Drew Wright scored on a single by
Kolton Brown.
The Eagles jumped to a quick 4-0 lead in the second game off Newman starter Jacob Stramel (1-2), with Kennedy's triple keying a three-run first-inning outburst. Markwardt stole home in the second inning on the back end of a double steal, with Wright stealing second base on the play.
Newman pulled within 4-3 before Markwardt delivered an RBI single in the fifth, and the Eagles made it 8-3 in the sixth on a solo home run by Kennedy, an RBI single by Wages and a run-scoring double by
Chandler Salinas.
The Jets rallied with three runs in the seventh and put two men on base to start the ninth inning, but Hill entered and retired the next three Newman batters to pick up his first save this season.
OC starter
Robbie Suhr (2-0) pitched six innings to record the win.
OC will host another Heartland foe, Arkansas-Fort Smith, in another mandated nonconference series next Friday and Saturday.
