OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 4, 2021) – There's nothing like opening the baseball season with an offensive showcase and Oklahoma Christian needed every bit of it on Thursday against St. Mary's (Texas).

Blake Empkey paced OC's 17-hit attack by going 4 for 5 and the Eagles posted a pair of five-run innings before holding on for a 16-14 win over St. Mary's on a cold, windy afternoon at Dobson Field.

Errett Edwards and Tanner White added three hits apiece for OC (1-0, 1-0 Lone Star Conference), which took a 5-0 lead in the second inning and never trailed after that, although St. Mary's (0-1, 0-1) applied consistent pressure the rest of the day, pulling within 11-10 at one point and putting the potential tying run on base in the ninth despite trailing by five runs entering the inning.

"I thought we swung it really good today," OC coach Lonny Cobble said. "I really didn't think we pitched it that bad. We got ourselves in some jams and things snowballed on us … but I think we're going to be OK. Whatever it takes. If we need to score 20 runs, we'll score 20, if the pitching goes out and gives up one and we have to score two, then we're going to score two. We're just going to try to take it all in stride."

With the temperature in the 40s and the wind blowing 15-20 mph from the north, offense figured to be at a premium, but instead of using the longball, the Eagles scored mostly with the short game, as 14 of their 17 hits were singles. Six of them came during a five-run second off St. Mary's starter Connor Schmidt (0-1), with the key blow a two-run single by Austin McCain.

OC added four more runs in the third to go up 9-2. On a tough day to pitch, OC senior Gabe Rodery (1-0) was able to hang on for five innings and strike out seven batters, and he exited the game with an 11-6 lead. The Eagles went through three pitchers in the sixth inning before Noah Bates stepped up to shut down the Rattlers and preserve the 11-10 lead.

Bates lasted three innings and was the most effective pitcher on either side, allowing only two hits and a run. The Eagles added five insurance runs in the seventh, two on a two-out single down the right-field line by White. Catcher Coleton Hinkle followed with a triple to score White to make it 16-11.

The Rattlers made it interesting in the ninth, pulling within 16-14 on a two-run double by Mitchell Caskey. But OC closer Jacob Mattox settled down and recorded the final out by coaxing a fly ball from Mauro Bustamonte.

"To be honest, I didn't think there would be that many runs scored today," Cobble said. "The wind was blowing in and it was cold, but both teams swung the bats pretty well. Tomorrow the wind is going to be blowing out and it's a hitters' day, and it's probably going to be a 2-1 game. Who knows?"

The Eagles and Rattlers will finish their three-game LSC series with a noon doubleheader on Friday.