OKLAHOMA CITY (April 16, 2019) – The Oklahoma Christian Eagles are becoming experts at pushing it to the limit before securing the win.

On Tuesday night, for the 10th time this baseball season, the Eagles scored the decisive runs in their final at-bat, using a four-run ninth inning to stun Southwestern Oklahoma State 9-8 at Dobson Field. Alex Garcia delivered the game-winning hit, singling to right field to score Blake Empkey and set off a wild celebration.

Such wins are becoming commonplace for OC (26-12), which is ranked seventh in the South Central Region. As long as the Eagles keep winning the close ones, coach Lonny Cobble is OK with the drama – to a certain point.

"The scary thing is, we've won (a lot) like that throughout the year, where the guys have battled back," Cobble said. "Once again, we're down three and our guys said, 'We've been here before. We can win this game.' As a coach, you don't want to be in that position. You want to play good the whole time. But the guys never quit. They never give up. They keep playing hard. I'm proud of the way they hang in there and keep battling. Different guys step up all the time."

The Eagles appeared to be in control early against Southwestern (18-21). OC led 3-0 after Empkey's second RBI single of the game scored Hunter Markwardt in the fifth inning. The Bulldogs scored twice off OC starter Brent McDonald in the sixth, but Grant Lake's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth restored OC's lead to three runs.

But Southwestern got to the OC bullpen, scoring four runs in the seventh, three on a towering home run to center field by Chase Duncan – his first homer of the season. That made it 6-5, and the Bulldogs extended their lead on a wind-blown two-run homer over the left-field fence by Rafael Villela in the eighth inning. That also was his first home run of the season.

OC's No. 7 hitter, Kevin Collyar, drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and Lake followed with a sharp single up the middle. That brought on Southwestern closer Jesse Lee (0-1), who hit Markwardt with a pitch to load the bases with one out. A groundout by Callen Crockett scored Collyar to pull OC within 8-6 and then the Eagles caught a big break.

Empkey, OC's leader in RBIs, hit a ground ball up the middle that Southwestern shortstop Alex Pimentel fielded, but Pimentel's throw sailed high over the head of the Bulldogs' 6-foot-6 first baseman, Tanner Long. That allowed both Lake and Markwardt to score, tying the game, and Empkey advanced to second base.

Garcia then lined his single to right field and Empkey beat the throw home by Southwestern's Sawyer Toole.

"I'd rather have a scary win than a loss," Cobble said. "You just hate to have wins like that over and over and over, but it shows some character for your team. It's been a fun season. The guys have hung in there and battled and put themselves in position to put pressure on teams and they've come through. Let's just hope our luck continues and it doesn't run out any time soon."

Southwestern lost despite recording 15 hits against four OC pitchers. OC closer Jared Price (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record the pitching win.

Markwardt singled up the middle in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 24 games.

The Eagles will host Arkansas-Fort Smith for a three-game Heartland Conference series on Thursday and Friday. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Thursday and a single game at 1 p.m. on Friday. The Eagles will hold their Senior Day ceremony before the game on Friday.

Game highlights: https://youtu.be/5AIYBaHzD4s