OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University punched its ticket to the NAIA World Series with a 9-4 victory over Northwestern (Iowa) on Wednesday afternoon in the championship game of the NAIA Championship Opening Round Group 5 Tournament at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars, ranked sixth in NAIA baseball, will be making their 12th World Series appearance in school history and third straight. OCU (49-14) has made previous appearances in 1986, 1988, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009. The NAIA World Series runs May 28-June 4 in Lewiston, Idaho.
“The guys stepped up at the right time,” OCU coach Denney Crabaugh said. “You have to give them a lot of credit. At the beginning of the season, we wanted to be playing our best here in the last couple weeks of May.”
OCU capped off an impressive offensive weekend with four home runs against Northwestern. OCU totaled 48 runs and 15 homers in three games of the tournament.
Matt Presley, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., led OCU with five home runs in the tournament, including two solo shots in the championship game. Presley finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored as well as closing out the game on the mound.
“Matt has picked up his game when we needed it most,” Crabaugh said of Presley. “We need a go-to guy and he has done it at the right time. He is a big-time player for us.”
Chad Carman, a sophomore from Midwest City, Okla., went 3-for-4 with two runs driven in. Carman finished just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Scott Dalrymple, a junior from Beaverton, Ore., and Brian Fisher, a sophomore from Spring, Texas, each had three hits for OCU.
The Stars broke open the game with a five-run third inning to take a 7-0 advantage. Fisher led off the inning with a solo shot over the right-field wall to give OCU a 3-0 advantage. Two batters later, Presley ripped his first home run of the game to center. Carman hit an RBI double to left-center, Dalrymple drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Terrance Jackson singled up the middle to drive in a run.
With OCU leading 8-0, Northwestern rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead in half. Five consecutive Red Raiders reached base to start the inning, capped by a three-RBI double to left-center by Chuck Stith.
Presley launched his second home run of the game off the left-field scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase OCU's lead to 9-4.
Presley said of the team, “What more can you ask for, a bunch of guys loving each other and coming together at the right time. Our ballclub is phenomenal. Our team has been through everything this year. I've never been on a team like this.”
Clint Maune, a junior left-hander from Yukon, Okla., earned his fourth victory of the season. Maune lasted five innings, allowing a run on three hits while striking out five batters.
Cody Crabaugh, Zac Coplon, Brad Riddle and Presley each pitched an inning in relief for the Stars.
The Stars got on the board in the first inning on an RBI double from Kirk Walker. OCU added a run in the second inning on a home run from Carman to center to take a 2-0 lead.
Boxscore
NAIA Championship Opening Round
Group 5 Tournament
At Oklahoma City
Jim Wade Stadium
Tuesday's Results
Northwestern (Iowa) 7, Grand View (Iowa) 2
Jamestown (N.D.) 4, Union (Tenn.) 3, 10 inn.
Oklahoma City 17, Northwestern 3
Wednesday's Results
Union 17, Grand View 3, Grand View eliminated
Oklahoma City 21, Jamestown 3
Northwestern 10, Union 9, Union eliminated
Thursday's Results
Northwestern 5, Jamestown 2, Jamestown eliminated
Oklahoma City 9, Northwestern (Iowa) 4, championship
