OKLAHOMA CITY (April 2, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian is developing a reputation as a team that can hit for power and the Eagles showed why on Friday in a doubleheader sweep of Cameron.

Taking advantage of a south wind – i.e., blowing out to left field – the Eagles smashed eight home runs and needed most of that offensive output to secure a 14-10 win in the first game and a 7-6 decision in the second game at Dobson Field.

In the opener, Michael DiFiore had the first three-homer game by an OC baseball player since the program was revived in 2008 (and the first this season by a Lone Star Conference player) and Tanner White homered in both games for OC (13-9, 12-8 LSC). The Eagles extended their winning streak to five games and moved within a game of Texas A&M-Kingsville for fourth place in the conference standings.

OC hit six homers in the opener against Cameron (4-17, 4-13) and now has the two highest single-game home-run totals in the LSC this season. With 41 home runs this season, the Eagles have hit 15 more than any other team in the league.

DiFiore, a freshman from Lucas, Texas, holds the LSC individual lead for home runs with 11. His two-run shot in the first inning of the opener put OC ahead 3-0 and his three-run blast to center field in the sixth tied the game at 7-7.

His solo shot during a six-run eighth inning off Cameron reliever Jayce Clem (1-1) followed a three-run homer by Blake Empkey (that gave OC an 11-10 lead) and preceded a two-run homer by Tanner White. Cole Lee also contributed to the slugfest, sending a fourth-inning line drive over the right-field fence for a solo homer.

The big eighth inning by OC hitters made a pitching winner out of reliever Ryan Hill (1-0), who pitched the eighth inning after starter Gabe Rodery battled through seven tough innings for the Eagles, recording eight strikeouts. Noah bates pitched a scoreless ninth inning for OC.

In the second game, OC starter Jacob Mattox (1-0) struck out nine batters in five innings and led with a 6-3 lead as the Eagles scored at least once in each inning during that stretch. That included a two-run homer in the second inning by freshman Zach Sanchez off Cameron starter Tyler Cornett (0-4) and a fifth-inning solo shot by White.

The Aggies pulled within 6-5 in the sixth inning before reliever Brent McDonald struck out Clem – a power hitter who had three solo homers on the day for Cameron – with the bases loaded for the third out.

Lee walked and scored on a single up the middle by Empkey in the eighth inning, giving the Eagles an insurance run that proved important. Empkey moved from right field to pitcher in the ninth to close the game and Clem sent Empkey's first pitch over the left-field wall to pull the Aggies within 7-6.

Empkey settled down and struck out Cameron's next three batters to earn his first save of the season.

OC and Cameron will play the final game of the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.