PLAINVIEW, Texas – Kirk Walker broke Oklahoma City University's career doubles record in the Stars' 20-11 win over USAO on Friday in the Sooner Athletic Conference baseball tournament at Wilder Field.
Walker, a senior from Bakersfield, Calif., tied Jeff Maack's record with a double to center field in the first inning, then hit his record-setting 75th career two-bagger to left in the eighth. OCU, ranked second in the NAIA, moved to 43-10 to wrap up pool play in the SAC Tournament.
Earlier this season, Walker set OCU's career records in hits, runs scored and at-bats. Walker went 3-for-6, scored twice, drove in three runs and hit his eighth home run of the year Friday. Maack played from 1985-88 and became the first former OCU athlete to enter the NAIA Hall of Fame this year.
OCU had been selected to host an NAIA Championship Opening-Round Tournament earlier this year. The tournament, where teams will vie for an NAIA World Series berth, happens May 12-16 at Jim Wade Stadium. The pairings for the opening-round tournaments will be announced Sunday.
The Stars nailed a season-high 26 hits against USAO. Austin Messerli, a senior from Norman, Okla., went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs, while Matt Presley, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colo., was 4-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI for OCU.
Ruben Sosa, a junior from Lawrence, Mass., went 4-for-7 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and Mark Purser, a senior from Spokane, Wash., was 3-for-6 with two runs scored and four runs driven in. Julien Pollard, a senior from Tacoma, Wash., was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs.
Miguel Beltran, a junior from Long Beach, Calif., went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs, while Dearth Parker, a senior from Roff, Okla., was 2-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
Beltran, Messerli, Parker, Pollard and Purser also homered for OCU.
USAO cut the Stars' advantage to 10-8 with four runs in the fifth. OCU responded with a seven-run sixth.
Pollard led off the sixth with his team-high 15th homer of the season, while Beltran added his 13th home run of the year. Messerli doubled in a run, then Sosa brought home a run on a fielder's choice grounder. Parker singled, then Walker whacked a three-run blast over the left-center for a 17-8 OCU lead.
OCU also had a six-run fourth. Messerli started the inning with a base hit, then Purser nailed a two-run shot over the left-field wall. Parker had a two-run homer, while Beltran socked a two-run double.
Terrance Jackson, a senior from Greenville, Ala., picked up the win. Jackson (4-0) struck out three in five innings. Allen Townsend and Parker also took the mound for the Stars.
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