OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 10, 2020) – Once again, Oklahoma Christian found itself locked in a tight battle with No. 11-ranked Angelo State (Texas), and for the third straight game, it was the visitors who made the winning plays.
Angelo State used a four-run eighth inning, combined with strong relief pitching, to beat the Eagles 9-4 on a cold, dreary, wet afternoon at Dobson Field, completing a series sweep.
In a baseball game that lasted a minute shy of four hours and during which light rain fell throughout, OC (0-6, 0-6 Lone Star Conference) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead through five innings. But Nick Seginowich hit a solo home run for Angelo State (6-0, 6-0 LSC) in the sixth and the Rams sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth, with four of them recording basehits and three others drawing walks.
The big blow was a two-run single up the middle by Justin Lee that put the Rams ahead 8-4 and they added an insurance run in the ninth on a run-scoring double by 2019 NCAA Division II player of the year Josh Elvir.
Angelo State relievers Kyle Moseley (1-0) and Carson Childers combined to strike out eight OC batters in 4 2/3 innings of work, preventing the Eagles from staging another rally.
Seginowich went 3 for 5 for Angelo State, scored three times and also drove in a run during the Rams' three run second inning.
Coleton Hinkle singled home
Kevin Collyar for OC in the bottom of the second, although the Eagles left the bases loaded, and added another run-scoring single during a two-run third inning that tied the game.
OC went ahead in the fifth when
Blake Empkey walked, took second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a fly ball and then scored when Angelo State second baseman Parker Bramlett dropped the ball while trying to throw to first base on a two-out ground ball by Hinkle.
Brent McDonald (0-1), the third of seven pitchers used by OC, took the loss. The Eagles' staff issued nine walks and hit two batters.
OC will visit Texas A&M International for a four-game series starting on Friday. The Eagles' next home series will be against Texas-Tyler from Feb. 21-23.
