LAWTON, Okla. (April 2, 2022) – On a day when Oklahoma Christian struggled to scratch out runs, the Eagles' pitchers stepped up to ensure OC wouldn't need much offense to win on Saturday in a doubleheader sweep of Cameron.

Jacob Mattox pitched his first career complete game as OC won 2-1 in the opener, and Kyle Higgins and Andrew Alonzo combined on a five-hitter as the Eagles held on for a 3-2 win in game two at McCord Field. The Eagles will try to clinch the win in the four-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.

With the sweep, OC (13-23, 13-22 Lone Star Conference) moved within percentage points of Cameron (11-20, 11-18) and Eastern New Mexico for eighth place in the LSC standings, important because the top eight teams at the end of the regular season will qualify for the conference baseball tournament. OC is one of six teams competing for what appear to be the final two tournament spots.

The Eagles managed only three hits in the opener off Cameron starter Marcos Feria (0-5) – who had 10 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings – but thanks to a defensive miscue by the Aggies, that proved to be enough.

Mattox (2-2) allowed only six hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters, giving up only one run, that in the first inning. After that, he allowed only one Cameron baserunner to advance as far as second base.

OC broke through in the third inning. With one out, Hunter Jones drew a walk, and one out later, Feria hit Cole Lee with a pitch. Cameron left fielder Tyler Coleman then failed to catch a fly ball by Tanner White, with the error allowing both Jones and Lee to score.

Higgins (1-3) had two strikeouts and issued no walks in the second game. He lasted into the sixth inning, but – with OC clinging to a 3-2 lead – the Aggies led off that frame with a double and a single, putting runners on the corners.

Alonzo entered in relief and walked Beau Williams to load the bases with no outs, but the right-hander settled down to strike out Jayce Clem and Ryan Carter, then retired Tyler Coleman on a lineout to third base to end the threat. Alonzo then pitched a scoreless seventh inning to record his second save.

After each team scored a single run in the first inning, OC went ahead 2-1 on Blake Empkey's bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the third inning against Cameron starter Drew Henderson (3-2). The Eagles extended their lead to 3-1 in the fourth on a RBI double to right field by Connor Jackson, which scored Coleton Hinkle, who had drawn a two-out walk. A fifth-inning sacrifice fly by Tylar Scott pulled the Aggies within 3-2.