OKLAHOMA CITY (March 25, 2022) – Oklahoma Christian recorded six straight hits during a four-run second inning and the Eagles rode that lead the rest of the way en route to a 6-2 win over Eastern New Mexico on Friday at Dobson Field.
Freshman right-handed pitcher
Will Rodman allowed only two runs (one earned) in 7 1/3 innings and reliever
Andrew Alonzo escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to lead OC (9-20, 9-20 Lone Star Conference) to the win in the four-game series opener. The Eagles have won four straight games in their series against Eastern New Mexico (10-15, 9-14).
The Greyhounds took a quick 1-0 lead over Rodman as his rough first inning included a hit batsman, a wild pitch and a passed ball. But OC tagged Eastern New Mexico starter Noah De La Riva (2-3) in the second inning to build its lead.
Michael DiFiore singled up the middle and freshman
Hunter Jones followed with a run-scoring double to right-center field. Conner Jackson,
Kevin Collyar,
Cole Lee and
Grant Lake then followed with singles. Lee's single bounced off the second-base bag just before it appeared an Eastern New Mexico infielder might field it and begin trying to turn a double play.
With the lead, Rodman (3-4) settled down and retired 10 straight Greyhounds in one stretch. With two outs in the sixth, though, Eastern New Mexico scratched out a run on a single, a walk and a run-scoring hit by Sammy Williamson, but with the bases loaded, Rodman struck out Braeton Matthews looking to end the threat.
DiFiore doubled and eventually scored on a balk by De La Riva to put OC up 6-2 in the seventh inning. With one out in the eighth inning, Rodman again ran into trouble as the Greyhounds loaded the bases on three straight singles. Alonzo entered and fanned Andres Quintana looking on a 3-2 pitch, then coaxed a groundout from Matthews.
Alonzo retired the Greyhounds in order in the ninth to record his first save of the baseball season.
In addition to DiFiore, Jackson, Collyar and Lee each had two hits for the Eagles. The game marked the debut of Dobson Field's new $140,000 digital scoreboard, which was installed this week. Arvest Bank is the sponsor the scoreboard, which replaced the one used at the baseball field since the university resumed playing the sport in 2008.
OC and Eastern New Mexico will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Saturday, then will close the series with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
