STEPHENVILLE, Texas (March 1, 2020) – Another display of power hitting lifted Oklahoma Christian to a series split against Tarleton State (Texas) at the Cecil Ballow Complex.

Kevin Collyar, Michael DiFiore and Jaren Hill each homered as the Eagles downed Tarleton State 8-5 on Sunday afternoon, giving OC a second win in its four-game Lone Star Conference baseball series against the Texans, who are bound for NCAA Division I next season.

OC (6-12, 6-12 LSC) hit four home runs to win the series opener and ended the series with 55 hits, including 19 for extra bases, and 40 runs. The Eagles hit .379 as a team and posted an impressive .614 slugging percentage on the week. Head coach Lonny Cobble credited assistant coaches Mickey Tettleton and Austin Orth for OC's recent offensive surge.

"Coach Tettleton and coach Orth have done a great job with the hitters and it shows with the number of hits we've had the past five games," Cobble said. "They have done a great job preparing these guys!"

Collyar led off the game with a solo home run off Tarleton State starter Sid Payan (0-1) and DiFiore added another solo shot – his fourth homer of the season – to make it 2-0. Cole Lee hit a two-run double in the third inning and Hill followed with a two-run homer. Hill has hit three home runs in nine at-bats this season.

Tarleton State (10-8, 10-8) pulled within 6-1 in the bottom of the third and within 6-3 with a two-run fourth inning. Jayvien Joseph drew a bases-loaded walk to extend OC's lead to 7-3 in the seventh and the Eagles added another insurance run in the eighth after the Texans had scored in the bottom of the seventh.

Left-hander Julien Ly (1-0) didn't allow a run in 1 2/3 innings of relief to pick up his second career pitching win for OC.

The Eagles will return home for a four-game series against Arkansas-Fort Smith that will begin on Friday.