LEWISTON, Idaho – Oklahoma City University ended its NAIA World Series run falling 7-4 to Concordia (Calif.) on Tuesday at Harris Field.
The second-ranked Stars dropped to 47-12. OCU finished a season where it won the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship and the NAIA Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket while advancing to the program's 13th World Series trip.
Concordia plated six runs in the top of the second inning. Tyler Derby brought in Concordia's first run on a base hit, then Robbie Knowles drew a bases-loaded walk, Edgar Guillen had an RBI groundout and Matt Ivanoff added a sacrifice fly. Kyle Konicek put Concordia up 6-0 with an RBI single.
Konicek tacked on a run-scoring base hit in the fourth to give Concordia a 7-0 advantage.
Mark Purser brought in OCU's first runs by pounding a two-run home run 325 feet over the left-field wall in the fifth. Purser cut the Stars' deficit to 7-3 by nailing an RBI single to left in the sixth.
Chad Carman followed Purser's run-scoring hit with a grounder that scored another run. Scott Dalrymple reached on a hit by pitch to fill the bases, but Jake Hovis retired Ruben Sosa on a fly ball.
Lightning delayed the game for an hour with Kirk Walker leading off the bottom of the seventh. Walker singled once play resumed, but Concordia turned a double play to end the Stars threat.
Purser turned in a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored, his fourth homer of the year and three RBIs, while Miguel Beltran, a junior from Long Beach, Calif., went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
Allen Townsend turned in six innings of relief while allowing one run on six hits for OCU. OCU starter Terrance Jackson took the loss. Hovis picked up the win for Concordia, while Josh White recorded a save.
OCU has now made World Series appearances in 1986, 1988, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The Stars' streak of consecutive 50-win seasons ended at 12.
The Stars lose 15 seniors off this year's team. OCU's seniors aided in the second string of four consecutive World Series appearances in program history, three 50-win seasons, three Opening-Round tournament crowns, the 2010 SAC Tournament title, the 2008 NAIA Region VI championship and Mid-South Super Regional crown.
Walker, a senior from Bakersfield, Calif., had a .416 average with 33 homers, 240 RBIs and 24 thefts. He posted OCU career-record numbers with 897 at-bats, 289 runs scored, 373 hits and 77 doubles. He has garnered SAC player of the year, the 2010 NAIA World Series Gold Glove Award and two all-SAC honors as a four-year starter at shortstop. Walker took an SAC player of the week recognition. He became the second Star to ever be on four World Series teams.
Dalrymple, a senior from Beaverton, Ore., finished with a .316 batting average, 14 doubles, six homers and 55 RBIs in two years with OCU.
Jackson, a senior from Greenville, Ala., ended with an 11-3 record and 91 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched along with a .322 average, 31 doubles, two triples, 16 homers, 86 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
Purser, a senior from Spokane, Wash., put together a .373 average, 116 runs, 129 hits, 25 doubles, six triples, 15 homers, 94 RBIs and 13 steals in two years as a Star.
Nathan Bryan, a senior from Andrews, Texas, was hampered by injury this year. He hit .269 with nine homers and 38 RBIs as a junior.
Clint Maune, a senior from El Reno, Okla., went 8-3 with a 5.51 earned run average and 56 strikeouts in 83.1 innings pitched in his two-year OCU career.
Austin Messerli, a senior from Norman, Okla., expanded his role from a pinch hitter to valuable piece of the starting lineup. He hit .464 with 15 doubles, eight homers and 34 RBIs in two years as a Star.
Dearth Parker, a senior from Roff, Okla., had a .299 average, 93 runs, 81 hits, 15 doubles, a triple, 13 homers and 68 RBIs in his two-year OCU career.
Julien Pollard, a senior from Tacoma, Wash., hit .373 with 14 doubles, four triples, 15 homers and 74 RBIs in his lone year as a Star.
Matt Presley, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colo., posted a .355 average, 102 runs, 137 hits, 25 doubles, three triples, 31 homers, 120 RBIs and 10 steals plus a win and two saves in two years with OCU. He picked up an SAC player of the week award during his junior year.
John Ragsdale, a senior from Oklahoma City, made eight career appearances with OCU.
Mike Richard, a senior from Walla Walla, Wash., registered a 13-4 record, 4.71 ERA, three complete games, a shutout and 83 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched.
Steve Styck, a senior from Kankakee, Ill., had a 2-0 record, 3.94 ERA, two saves and 37 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched this year.
Corey Theriot, a senior from Iowa, La., posted an 11-1 record, 4.18 ERA, three complete games, a shutout and 102 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched as a senior this year. He twice earned SAC pitcher of the week en route to becoming second-team all-SAC.
Zac Tidholm, a senior from Mustang, Okla., finished his three-year OCU career with a 1-0 record, 4.53 ERA, 49 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched.
Boxscore
NAIA World Series
At Lewiston, Idaho
Harris Field
All Times CDT
Friday's Results
Concordia 7, Faulkner 2
LSU-Shreveport 5, Lee 4
Lubbock Christian 7, Oklahoma Baptist 2
Lewis-Clark State 5, Tennessee Wesleyan 4
Saturday's Results
Lee 7, Faulkner 3, Faulkner eliminated
Oklahoma Baptist 8, Tennessee Wesleyan 6, Tenn. Wesleyan eliminated
Embry-Riddle 9, Concordia 3
Oklahoma City 2, Lewis-Clark State 1
Monday's Results
Concordia 7, Oklahoma Baptist 5, OBU eliminated
Lee 7, Lewis-Clark State 3, Lewis-Clark State eliminated
LSU-Shreveport 3, Embry-Riddle 2, 10 inn.
Lubbock Christian 8, Oklahoma City 1
Tuesday's Results
Lee 7, Embry-Riddle 4, Embry-Riddle eliminated
Concordia 7, Oklahoma City 4, OCU eliminated
Lubbock Christian 3, LSU-Shreveport 0
Wednesday's Games
Game 16: Concordia vs. LSU-Shreveport, 5 p.m.
Game 17: Lee vs. Lubbock Christian, 9 p.m.
Thursday's Game
Game 18: Championship, 9:05 p.m.
Friday, June 3
Game 19: If necessary, 9:05 p.m.
