EDMOND, Okla. - After a long offseason, Oklahoma Christian returned to the diamond with a bang, delivering a run-rule victory against the St. Mary's Rattlers Friday evening in seven innings, 14-4.
The 10-run victory is the largest OC has recorded since meeting this same Rattlers team back in 2023 in what was a 12-1 victory.
Chris Jones (1-0) got the win on the mound, throwing five of the seven innings and allowing just three earned runs while striking out eight batters. At the plate, incoming transfers
Reed Thomas (3-for-4)Â and
Cason Gregory (2-for-2) each logged three RBI, while Gregory also reached base twice on walks.
How it happened
- St. Mary's kicked off the Eagles' opening day with a three-run deficit, plating three off two hits and an OC error in the first error.
- Oklahoma Christian's offense quickly responded with two runs in the home-half of the first, thanks to NCAA Division I Dayton-transfer Michael Adair, sending his first at-bat in an Eagles uniform over the wall for a two-run shot.
- Starting pitcher Chris Jones held StMU scoreless over the next three innings, allowing just two hits during that stretch. Meanwhile, OC's offense put up crooked numbers in the next two frames to race ahead, 7-3.
- With the score remaining as such until the seventh inning, St. Mary's got one run back in the fifth before Jones claimed the final out via strikeout to leave two Rattlers stranded. The Eagles followed that big moment with a seven-run bottom-half of the fifth, during which Gregory recorded a double and a triple in the same frame.
- Now with a 14-4 lead, reliever Tristan Copeland came in and threw a gem for the final two innings, securing the run-rule with five strikeouts, facing the minimum in two frames of work.
Up Next
Oklahoma Christian (1-0, 1-0 LSC) will return to Dobson Baseball Field for a Saturday doubleheader against St. Mary's beginning at 3 p.m. with game two set to begin at approximately 6 p.m.
