OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University equaled its program-long win streak with its 23rd victory in a row with a 3-2, 4-2 sweep of USAO on Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars, ranked seventh in NAIA baseball, improved to 23-2, 13-0 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. OCU also reeled off a 23-game win streak during its 2004 season.
The 2004 Stars went 73-7 to establish the NAIA's single-season victory mark. OCU also strung together a 22-game winning streak during that season, during which the Stars finished as NAIA runner-up for the third year in a row.
Saturday, OCU overcame seventh-inning rallies by USAO. In the first game, Allen Townsend struck out Robert Summers with runners on first and third base to finish the contest. In the second game, Cody Crabaugh got Brandon Jewitt to fly out in foul territory with the bases loaded to complete the sweep.
OCU has yet to lose since starting the season 0-2. No. 12-ranked Belhaven (Miss.) dealt the Stars their last loss 8-7 on Feb. 12 in Shreveport, La.
“This means that they are finding ways to win,” OCU coach Denney Crabaugh said of his squad's streak. “We have yet to play our best baseball, but we are winning close games. That will help us come playoff time.”
Townsend, a junior left-hander from San Diego, finished his third complete game in six starts this year. Townsend (4-0) struck out six and allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in a 92-pitch, seven-inning effort.
Until the seventh, USAO (15-10, 5-7 SAC) failed to get past first base as Townsend retired nine in a row between the third and the sixth. In the seventh, Romus Cezar drove in USAO's first hit with a two-out, run-scoring base hit. Jake Dunbar reached home plate on an error before Townsend halted USAO's rally.
Kirk Walker brought home OCU's first run in the third on a sacrifice fly. Mark Purser put the Stars up 3-0 by crushing a two-run double to center field in the fifth.
Ruben Sosa, a junior from Lawrence, Mass., went 3-for-3 and scored twice, while Dearth Parker, a senior from Roff, Okla., nailed a double and scored on Purser's double for OCU.
In the second game, Conner Bridgman drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk to cut OCU's lead to 4-2. Cody Crabaugh took the mound to get the final out as Chad Carman pulled in Jewitt's fly ball in front of the OCU dugout.
Crabaugh, a sophomore right-hander from Edmond, Okla., notched his second save of the year. Rich Hawkins, a junior lefty from Edmond, Okla., struck out seven and allowed one run on three hits and a walk in six innings.
Hawkins (4-2) fanned five in a row in the third and fourth innings. USAO's Cody Bridgman led off the third with a solo home run, then Garan Qualls doubled. Hawkins responded by setting down nine USAO batters in a row, seven by strikeout. Hawkins struck out the side in the third.
The Stars erased a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the third. Parker swatted an RBI double down the third-base foul line, then Walker drove in Parker with a single to left.
Julian Pollard pounded his team-high fifth homer of the year over the center-field wall to start the bottom of the sixth for OCU. Carman added an RBI base hit to left to give OCU a 4-1 advantage.
Parker finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
OCU meets Southeastern Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Jim Wade Stadium.
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore
