OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University's rally fell short in a 14-13 loss to Southern Nazarene on Thursday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars plated four ninth-inning runs before the game ended. OCU, ranked seventh in NAIA baseball, dropped to 40-13, 22-7 in the Sooner Athletic Conference, while SNU went to 31-17, 16-13.
Down 14-9 entering the bottom of the ninth, Terrance Jackson cut OCU's deficit to four runs by hammering a double to left to bring Matt Presley in from second base. Steve Vitale added a two-out RBI base hit up the middle of the infield to score Jackson.
Chad Carman pummeled an 0-1 offering over the left-field wall to score Vitale and make it 14-13. Southern Nazarene's Andrew Steinmeyer came on to retire Garrett Regan and finish the contest.
The Stars cut their deficit to 10-9 in the seventh as Mark Purser nailed a run-scoring double to left. Southern Nazarene answered in the eighth on Mac Gordon's three-run double.
Chase Roten made the difference for Southern Nazarene with a homer in the top of the ninth.
OCU knotted the game at 8-8 in the fifth as Nathan Bryan turned on an 0-1 fastball for a three-run blast to left.
Southern Nazarene took a 10-8 lead in the sixth. Adam Bies reached home plate on a passed ball, then Gordon had an RBI double.
The Stars erased a 2-0 deficit in the second as Bryan and Presley pounded back-to-back RBI doubles along the third-base foul line. Jackson swatted a triple to left to put OCU up 3-2.
OCU went up 5-3 in the third as Regan launched a two-run shot over the right-field wall.
Bryan, a junior from Andrews, Texas, went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, while Regan, a senior from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, was 3-for-5, scored three times and drove in two runs. Jackson went 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Carman was 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Vitale went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Purser was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a run driven in.
Gordon picked up the win, while Cody Crabaugh took the loss. Steinmeyer recorded a save.
OCU concludes the regular season against Southern Nazarene at 7 p.m. Friday at Jim Wade Stadium.
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