EDMOND, Okla. - With another lead looking to be in jeopardy late, Oklahoma Christian held on to game two of Saturday's doubleheader to split the twin bill with Texas Permian Basin, 10-4 and 5-4.

Leading 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Ira Clifton came to the mound with two UTPB batters on and no outs. Moments later, with the game-winning run at the plate with only one out, Clifton issued back-to-back ground-outs to claim his second save of the season and bring OC within one game of winning the series.

In the 5-4 win, Tristan Copeland (1-3) pitched the first seven innings, allowing just three runs on three hits while striking out nine batters. Copeland has recorded at least seven strikeouts in five of his seven appearances this season, leading the team with 54 strikeouts despite having pitched only 31 innings.

Hunter Jones and Elijah Laus each claimed their second multi-hit game of the series with two hits a piece in the game-three victory. In game one of the day's doubleheader, Benji Cazares recorded his first two-hit game of the season. 

Game One: Texas Permian Basin 10, Oklahoma Christian 4

• Despite Oklahoma Christian claiming hits in three of the first four innings, back-to-back crooked numbers for Texas Permian Basin put the Falcons ahead 5-0 after two innings of play.
• The Eagles saw more hits in the fourth frame than they had in the previous three innings combined, cutting the deficit to two, 5-3, thanks to an RBI-single form Cason Gregory and a two-RBI triple from Grant Voss.
• The Falcons immediately responded with their third crooked number of the contest to open their largest lead of the game at 9-3. Single runs by both teams in the sixth evened the weekend series, 1-1.

Game Two: Oklahoma Christian 5, Texas Permian Basin 4

• Five of OC's first six batters reached base safely as the Eagles quickly changed momentum from the lopsided game-one defeat with a three-run first.
• Following three of UTPB's first four batters being retired, the maroon-and-gray added two more runs off a Trey Migl RBI-ground-out and a Jones triple to open the 5-0 lead.
• Copeland allowed just two Falcon base runners from the second inning through the sixth, with one of those courtesy of a solo home run, as Oklahoma Christian's 5-0 lead remained intact until the final frame.
• The first two Permian Basin batters of the seventh got on base via walks, forcing head coach Lonny Cobble to go to his bullpen. Clifton entered with two on and zero outs. The home team found a bit of momentary life, bringing the game-winning run to the plate with now just one out against him, 5-4.
• A ground-out advanced the game-tying run to second, but the third out came by way of another ground-out as Clifton earned his second save of the season and picked up the 5-4 win for Oklahoma Christian.

Up next

Oklahoma Christian (10-31, 9-30 LSC) will make one last stop at Roden Field Sunday, Apr. 13 at 1 p.m., when it will go for its first series victory over Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas, since 2016.