OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University advanced to the title game of the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket with a 10-9 victory over Belhaven (Miss.) in 10 innings Friday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The second-ranked Stars (45-10) play for their fourth consecutive NAIA World Series berth 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium. Dearth Parker scored the winning run and recorded the save for OCU.
Austin Messerli brought in the winning run on a groundout to first base for the second out in the top of the 10th inning.
Parker took the mound in the bottom of the inning after playing second to that point. Ryan Saunders led off with a single, and Paul Moreno drew a walk as Belhaven put runners on second and third with two out. Parker got Tyler Wrinkle to ground out up the middle to seal the Stars' win.
Parker, a senior from Roff, Okla., notched his first save as a Star. Cody Crabaugh picked up the win with 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out two. Crabaugh, a sophomore from Edmond, Okla., moved to 5-4.
In the seventh, Parker provided OCU a 9-3 advantage with a base hit past the shortstop. The Stars went up 8-3 in the sixth using Matt Presley's sacrifice bunt and Messerli's RBI double.
OCU built a fourth-inning 6-1 lead as Scott Dalrymple reached home plate on a wild pitch and Kirk Walker nailed a two-run double.
Belhaven erased OCU's six-run lead with a run in the seventh and five in the eighth. Anthony Doss had a two-run base hit, and Presley's throwing error cut OCU's edge to 9-8. Doss reached home on an error to tie the game. Crabaugh retired Jordan Brewer on a fly ball with the bases loaded to finish the eighth.
Crabaugh kept Belhaven at bay in the ninth. Crabaugh struck out Derek Tortorich with runners on first and second.
Parker went 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in two runs, while Messerli, a senior from Norman, Okla., was 2-for-6 with a run scored and two RBIs for OCU. Walker, a senior from Bakersfield, Calif., went 2-for-5 with a run scored, two doubles and two RBIs. Ruben Sosa scored three times for the Stars.
Boxscore
NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Oklahoma City
Jim Wade Stadium
Thursday's Results
Doane (Neb.) 9, Texas-Brownsville 2
Belhaven (Miss.) 10, Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 9, 10 inn.
Oklahoma City 10, Doane 5
Friday's Results
Fresno Pacific 10, Texas-Brownsville 1, UTB eliminated
Oklahoma City 10, Belhaven 9, 10 inn.
Fresno Pacific 9, Doane 2, Doane eliminated
Saturday's Games
Game 7: Belhaven vs. Fresno Pacific, 11 a.m.
Game 8: Oklahoma City vs. Winner Game 7, 2:30 p.m., championship
Monday's Game
Game 9: If necessary, noon
