BETHANY, Okla. (March 2, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian was scuffling a bit with its bats when the top of the seventh inning started Tuesday afternoon at Feland Field, trailing archrival Southern Nazarene 3-2.

The Eagles proceeded to hit, and score, and hit, and score some more in an 11-run inning that turned a tight nonconference baseball game into a runaway 13-6 win for the good guys. Blake Empkey hit two home runs for OC (4-3), including a grand slam in the seventh that put the Eagles ahead for good.

SNU (0-5) took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning before the Eagles rallied with two runs in the sixth, one on a one-out solo home run over the right-field fence. Michael DiFiore later doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chance Westervelt to pull OC within 3-2.

OC (4-3) exploded in the seventh, sending 17 batters to the plate as the Crimson Storm went through five pitchers who combined to give up five hits, issue six walks, hit a batter and throw a wild pitch while SNU's defense committed two errors that prolonged the inning.

Empkey's grand slam to left-center field brought home the first four runs of the inning and he later added a run-scoring groundout during the Eagles' second time through the lineup. He finished 3 for 6 with a career-high six RBIs and scored twice.

Brett Rexroad (0-2) took the pitching loss for the Crimson Storm, while OC reliever Chase Berberich (1-0) struck out two of the four batters he faced and was the beneficiary of the Eagles' offensive outburst.

OC will return to Lone Star Conference play this weekend, as the Eagles are scheduled to host Texas A&M-Kingsville in single games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.