OKLAHOMA CITY (March 6, 2020) – Late-inning rallies have been a staple of this Oklahoma Christian baseball season, but the one the Eagles staged Friday against Arkansas-Fort Smith fell painfully short.

The Eagles cut a 6-0 deficit to 6-5, but they stranded the potential tying run on third base in the seventh inning and didn't threaten again as UAFS escaped Dobson Field with that 6-5 decision in the first of a four-game Lone Star Conference series.

UAFS (13-6, 13-6 Lone Star) scored all six of its runs (three unearned) off OC ace Gabe Rodery (2-3). Nolan Riley hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Lions up 1-0 and they exploded for five runs in the top of the fifth inning, with a key error by OC prolonging the outburst. Cash Balentine's two-run double proved to be the big blow, with Trent Powell and Tristan Kalina also delivering run-scoring hits.

But OC (6-13, 6-13) answered in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, with Blake Empkey driving in two of those with a triple to center field. OC tacked on two more in the seventh, as Jayvien Joseph tripled and scored on an infield single by Errett Edwards. Empkey then singled, sending Edwards to third base, and Edwards scored on a wild pitch to pull OC within 6-5.

Empkey reached third base on a passed ball, but UAFS reliever Foster Pace came on to strike out Grant Lake and retire Michael DiFiore on a ground ball to end the threat. Pace retired all eight batters he faced, four on strikeouts, to pick up his first save of the season.

UAFS starter Drew Young (5-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Edwards, Empkey and Jordan Kennedy each had two hits for the Eagles. OC also received a solid outing out of its bullpen, as Nathan James, Hayden Boyd and Noah Bates combined to pitch 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

The teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.