EDMOND, Okla. (April 6, 2019) – Against a quality opponent like No. 10-ranked Lubbock Christian (Texas), playing solid defense usually is critical and Oklahoma Christian didn't do that on Saturday afternoon.
Lubbock Christian turned three OC errors into three runs in the first two innings and the Eagles never recovered, falling 6-1 at Central Oklahoma's Wendell Simmons Field, where the teams played after rain rendered OC's Dobson Field unplayable.
Lubbock Christian (25-9, 8-1 Heartland Conference) took the series 2-1 and held onto the league lead, while OC (21-11, 5-4) – ranked sixth in the South Central Region – dropped into third place after losing for the first time in five games this season on UCO's field.
Two singles and two errors gave the Chaparrals two unearned runs in the first inning off OC starter
Zachary Pape (4-2). OC quickly got a run back in the bottom of the inning, as
Hunter Markwardt reached on a dropped third strike, went to second base when Lubbock Christian starter Chandler Casey hit
Callen Crockett with a pitch, stole third and scored on a groundout by
Blake Empkey.
But Casey quickly settled into a groove. Empkey was the first of 17 straight batters retired by Casey (6-3), who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before
Brendon Bavester delivered a solid single to left field.
Another OC error led to another Lubbock Christian run in the second, as Braden Hayward doubled home Chase Whetsel. A solo home run by Keaton Greenwalt highlighted a two-run fifth for the Chaparrals and they tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. OC finished the game with five errors, matching its second-highest total of the season.
Casey, a two-time Heartland pitcher of the week this season, threw a complete game, allowing only three hits and striking out 12 batters. Fortunately for OC, one of those hits was a sharp single up the middle in the eighth inning by Markwardt, extending his hitting streak to 18 games.
OC will visit Oklahoma Baptist for a nonconference game on Tuesday and will host another local nonconference rival, UCO, on Wednesday before heading to Wichita, Kan., for another Heartland series on Friday and Saturday at Newman.
