OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University pounded seven home runs en route to a 17-3 victory against Northwestern (Iowa) on Tuesday in the NAIA Championship Opening Round Group 5 Tournament at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars, ranked sixth in NAIA baseball, improved to 47-14 on the season. OCU will play Jamestown (N.D.) on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in a winner's bracket game.
“It's happened all year long,” OCU coach Denney Crabaugh said of his team's big home run game. “It's a tradition in our program to have a good hitting ballclub. We've scored a lot of runs with two outs.”
Chad Carman, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., had two home runs and four runs batted in to lead OCU at the plate. Kirk Walker, Matt Presley, Scott Dalrymple, Mark Purser and David Grellner each added home runs.
OCU took control of the game with four long balls in the first inning to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Walker and Presley hit back-to-back solo shots with two outs to give OCU a 2-0 lead.
After Garrett Regan doubled, Carman drilled his first home run of the game, a two-run shot to left field. Purser capped the scoring with a solo shot to left field.
Dalrymple hit a two-run shot to left in the third inning as OCU built a 7-0 lead. Carman capped a three-run inning in the fourth with a two-run shot to left.
Grellner closed out the scoring in the sixth inning with a grand slam to left-center to give the Stars a 17-1 advantage.
Mike Richard, a junior left-hander from Walla Walla, Wash., took advantage of the early run support by shutting the Red Raiders out through the first four innings. Richard surrendered three runs (two earned) on eight hits over seven innings of work.
John Ragsdale and Phillip Stewart each threw scoreless innings to close out the game.
"We want to play one game a day,” Crabaugh said. “We feel good about our chances being the No. 1 seed. We want to be the only undefeated team after tomorrow.”
Northwestern starter Jared Kirkeby lasted just one inning as he gave up five runs on six hits.
Boxscore
NAIA Championship Opening Round
Group 5 Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Jim Wade Stadium
Tuesday's Results
Game 1: Northwestern (Iowa) 7, Grand View (Iowa) 2
Game 2: Jamestown (N.D.) 4, Union (Tenn.) 3, 10 inn.
Game 3: Oklahoma City 17, Northwestern 3
Wednesday's Games
Game 4: Grand View vs. Union, 11 a.m.
Game 5: Jamestown vs. Oklahoma City, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Northwestern, 6 p.m.
Thursday's Games
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7, 2:30 p.m., championship
Friday's Game
Game 9: If necessary, noon
