EDMOND, Okla. (Feb. 3, 2019) – Oklahoma Christian head coach Lonny Cobble surmised last week that the Eagles might be underdogs to all three teams they'd face in the Edmond 1st Pitch Classic.

Maybe so, but these underdogs emerged from the eight-team event as the only unbeaten squad. Using a combination of timely hitting (led by Blake Empkey) and strong pitching – particularly from the bullpen – OC downed host Central Oklahoma 8-5 on a windy Sunday night at Wendell Simmons Field.

OC is 3-0 for the first time since 2016 and the Eagles beat UCO (1-2) – the defending Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association champion – for the first time since 2014.

"Up and down the lineup, the good thing is we were just executing early for the most part," OC assistant coach Andrew McGuire said. "Our philosophy is to execute early and free it up late and that's what we did."

The Eagles needed ninth-inning rallies en route to dramatic wins over Pittsburg State (Kan.) and Missouri Southern on the first two days of the Classic, but against UCO, they took the lead in the first inning and held it all the way. Eight of OC's nine starters had at least one hit, with Empkey, a freshman outfielder from Bedford, Texas, going 3 for 5 with a double, driving in two runs and stealing two bases.

"We've preached approach to these guys all year and (Empkey) has really bought into what we've talked about," McGuire said. "He's playing the game recklessly, as we say, just having fun out there and doing what's he done his whole life. We couldn't be more proud seeing him step up and play like that."

Staked to the lead, OC's bullpen held it. Left-hander Julien Ly (1-0) allowed just two hits in 2 1/3 innings before another sophomore southpaw, Jake Tomcheck, retired four straight UCO batters before giving way to closer Jared Price with one out in the ninth. Price picked up his second save in as many games.

Those three followed a solid performance by Zachary Pape, who pitched four good innings in his first career start before running into trouble in the fifth.

"Zach Pape came out and set the tone for us," OC pitching coach Chance Stevens said. "He's a fifth-year guy that's been here a long time. It wasn't an easy night to pitch (with the wind), but he did a good job, especially with their bats and the way they swing it."

Hunter Markwardt reached on a dropped third strike to start the game and scored on a double by Empkey off UCO starter Colton Croft (0-1). Garrett Wages walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the second to make it 2-0. OC went up 5-0 in the fourth as Brendon Bavester and Markwardt delivered run-scoring doubles.

UCO's Paul Kropf hit a solo home run in the fourth, aided by a south wind gusting above 25 for much of the game and carrying baseballs toward the left-center field gap. Wages answered with a two-run double in the top of the fifth that put OC ahead 7-1.

Kyle Crowl's three-run homer keyed the Bronchos' four-run fifth-inning outburst, but UCO never advanced a runner past first base during the final four innings. Empkey reached on an error, stole second and third base and scored on a wild pitch in the seventh to give OC an insurance run.

OC's next games will be Thursday in the Alpine Fresh 4Him Classic. The Eagles will face Heartland Conference rival Newman (Kan.) at 9 a.m. in Cleburne, Texas, before a short trip to Fort Worth to play Oklahoma Baptist at 1 p.m.

Andrew McGuire and Chance Stevens discuss the game: https://youtu.be/uneUTmEMark