OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City University captured the Sooner Athletic Conference baseball tournament title with 2-1, 14-4 victories over Lubbock Christian (Texas) on Thursday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars, ranked sixth in the NAIA, improved to 46-14, while fifth-ranked Lubbock Christian fell to 43-13. Both teams will host NAIA Championship Opening-Round Tournaments on May 18-21. Pairings for the opening-round tournaments will be announced Friday night.
Brad Riddle went the distance on the mound, striking out three and allowing four runs on nine hits in seven innings for OCU. Riddle, a senior right-hander from Bethany, Okla., improved to 3-1 while logging 113 pitches.
"It was a great day for our pitching staff," OCU coach Denney Crabaugh said. "Your closer goes seven innings. It creates a lot of momentum heading into the opening round."
Riddle followed up Cody Crabaugh's eight-inning, 137-pitch performance in the first game.
"Cody really set the tone today," Riddle said. "We showed we were here to play. We had good defense and good offense. It's easier to pitch when you score 14 runs."
Riddle notched his first complete game as a Star.
"You still go inning by inning," Riddle said. "Keith Lytle said professional pitchers take it a pitch at a time. You don't go by the scoreboard, and you stick with your teammates."
The Stars put up four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Garrett Regan grounded to third baseman Ross Blondin, who was charged with an error to score Steve Vitale from third. Brian Fisher drew a bases-loaded walk, then Nathan Bryan drove in two runs on a base hit up the middle of the infield.
OCU pushed its lead to 8-0 in the third. Fisher had a base hit to load the bases and chase Lubbock Christian starter Kevin Burns. Bryan brought in a run on a fielder's-choice groundout, then Matt Presley drove in a run on a single up the middle of the infield. Terrance Jackson doubled to right for another run, and Vitale grounded out to bring in a run.
The Stars pounded two home runs in the fourth to build a 12-0 advantage. Regan led off the inning with a shot over the right-field wall, then Presley nailed a three-run blast to right.
Reid Chenworth sparked a four-run fifth for Lubbock Christian by socking a lead-off homer. Joe Staley had an RBI single, and Blondin drove in two runs on a double to right.
Mark Purser pounded a two-run homer to left in the fifth for OCU.
Regan, a senior from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, went 2-for-3 with four runs scored and an RBI, while Purser, a junior from Spokane, Wash., went 4-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBIs. Presley, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four runs driven in.
Chenworth went 3-for-3 with a run scored and a run driven in for Lubbock Christian. Doug Kroll went 2-for-2, and David Cruz was 2-for-4.
"Our offense has come around," Denney Crabaugh said. "People are starting to get hot. Terrance Jackson and Purser had great tournaments. We're right where we want to be at this time of year."
To force the winner-take-all game, OCU used Regan's two-run single and Cody Crabaugh's clutch starting pitching performance.
In the third, Presley reached on a walk, then Jackson knocked a base hit into left field. Vitale loaded the bases with a hit by pitch.
Regan drove in Presley and Jackson by putting the ball into shallow right-center field.
Lubbock Christian cut into the lead with Blondin's two-out RBI base hit to left in the fifth. Crabaugh finished the inning by retiring Kroll on a fly ball to right, stranding two runners.
Cody Crabaugh (7-2) worked eight innings while fanning 10 and allowing one run on seven hits and four walks. Crabaugh, Zac Tidholm and Presley combined to strand 10 Lubbock Christian runners. Tanner Vickers (2-2) suffered the loss while working a complete game and keeping OCU to two runs on four hits.
"I was nervous but excited for the chance," Cody Crabaugh said. "I was glad to come back and be able to do well against them. It was great that we came together as a team. It will propel us the rest of the year."
Presley notched his second save by getting the final two outs. In the ninth, Tidholm came on to strike out Marc Gomez. Presley went from right field to the pitching mound. J.J. Muse grounded to third baseman Steve Vitale, who knocked the ball down for shortstop Kirk Walker to gun down Muse at first.
Rafael Thomas of Lubbock Christian drew a walk, then advanced on a balk to put the tying run at second base. Presley struck out Cruz to end the game.
"We havehardly everplayed a 2-1 game against Lubbock Christian," Denney Crabaugh said. "Zac and Presley closed it out and gave us a good start to the day."
Jackson went 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Fisher went 1-for-3 with a walk for the Stars. Cruz was 2-for-5, and Joe Staley went 2-for-4 for the Chaparrals.
Championship Game 1 Boxscore
Championship Game 2 Boxscore
Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Jim Wade Stadium
Monday's Results
Lubbock Christian12, Rogers State 8
Oklahoma City 15,Northwestern13
Southern Nazarene10, Wayland Baptist 6
Tuesday's Results
Northwestern 6, Rogers State3, RSU eliminated
Lubbock Christian8, Wayland Baptist 3, WBU eliminated
Oklahoma City13, Southern Nazarene4
Northwestern 19, Southern Nazarene 12, SNU eliminated
Wednesday's Results
Lubbock Christian10, Oklahoma City 9
Oklahoma City19, Northwestern 6, NWOSU eliminated
Thursday's Results
Oklahoma City 2, Lubbock Christian 1
Oklahoma City 14, Lubbock Christian 4, championship
