Baseball 5/11/2013 9:46:00 PM

Sterling upends OCU 1-0

Stars fall short of sixth consecutive NAIA World Series bid

Chris Munoz ripped the 20th home run of his career Saturday.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University fell 1-0 to Sterling (Kan.) on Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium in the NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round Oklahoma City Bracket championship game.
The second-ranked Stars reached the title game by beating Jamestown (N.D.) 4-0 earlier Saturday. Sterling advanced to the NAIA World Series for the first time, halting OCU's string of five consecutive trips to the World Series.
OCU ended its season 49-13 with the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championship.
Sterling nudged past the Stars using Ian Josh's base hit through the middle of the infield to score Joe Battaglia with one out in the bottom of the second inning.
OCU starting pitcher Shane Henderson struck out Anthony Feliciano for the second out, then Elijah Briseno drew a walk to load the bases. Henderson fanned Joe Williams with the bases full to finish the inning.
In the third, Anthony Stewart and Jared Forbush reached base on a single and a hit by pitch, respectively, for Sterling. After those two reached second and third on stolen bases, Henderson caught Andrew Clark on a called third strike for out No. 2. Henderson retired Daniel Hall on a fly ball to right.
Henderson, a junior right-hander from Flower Mound, Texas, recorded his second complete game of 2013. He struck out six and allowed one run on four hits in eight innings. Henderson dropped to 4-1 on the year.
Steven Cazares shut out OCU on three hits, three walks and three hit batsmen. The Stars left two men on each in the second and the third innings.
Cody Ferrell, Chase Jensen and Jonathan Rodriguez collected hits for OCU. Rodriguez, a junior from Anaheim, Calif., swiped a base.
Against Jamestown, the Stars pushed across runs in the second and the fourth. In the second, Ferrell got on via an error, then Jensen nailed a single to left-center field as Ferrell took third on the play. Walker Davidson grounded out to score Ferrell.
In the fourth, Ferrell reached on an error, then advanced to third as Jensen doubled. Ferrell put OCU ahead 2-0 on another Davidson groundout.
Chris Munoz and Rodriguez pounded solo home runs to right field to increase OCU's advantage to 4-0 in the seventh. Rodriguez crushed a drive that flew over the net and bounced off an SUV beyond the right-field wall.
Ryan Gibson posted a two-hit, complete-game whitewash of Jamestown. Gibson worked a perfect game through 3.2 innings, then a no-hitter until two out in the seventh. Gibson, a senior lefty from Yukon, Okla., fanned five in moving to 5-2 on the year.
Munoz, a senior from Hacienda Heights, Calif., went 2-for-4, scored a run, drove in a run and added a double, while Jensen, a senior from Arlington, Texas, was 2-for-4 with a steal. Brayden Brumley, a senior from Ardmore, Okla., was 1-for-3 with a double to the left-field corner of the field.
OCU bid farewell to 14 seniors who contributed to three World Series teams, three Opening Round titles and three SAC regular-season crowns, one 50-win season and the 2010 SAC Tournament championship. The Stars went 194-53, averaging 48.5 victories, the past four years.
Brumley, a utilityman from Ardmore, Okla., hit .255 with six doubles, three triples, 25 RBIs and 30 steals in two years. He spent time in the infield, in the outfield and pitched an inning for the Stars. He became an SAC gold glover this year.
Davidson, a second baseman from Berryhill, Okla., contributed to OCU's top-ranked defense and turned 28 double plays. Davidson hit .263 with 10 doubles, four triples, a homer, 20 RBIs and 12 steals as a senior.
Ferrell, a center fielder from McLoud, Okla., posted a .310 average, 15 doubles, seven triples, 15 homers, 58 RBIs and 50 steals. Ferrell led the SAC in steals and became a second-team all-SAC performer this year.
Gibson finished up with a 9-2 record, 2.37 ERA, two complete-game shutouts, a save and 102 strikeouts in 98.2 innings.
Jensen hit .332 with 16 doubles, four triples, 11 homers, 51 RBIs and 15 steals. Jensen was SAC and NAIA player of the week for April 15-21.
Munoz hit .356 with 36 doubles, eight triples, 20 homers, 83 RBIs and 27 steals. Munoz was second-team all-SAC and on the gold glove team this year.
Cody Crabaugh, a right-handed pitcher from Edmond, Okla., collected a 35-10 record, 3.89 ERA, 231 strikeouts, 272.2 innings, four complete games, two shutouts and four saves in four years. Crabaugh was first-team all-SAC in 2013.
Andrew Dennis, an infielder from San Jose, Calif., hit .343 with five doubles, two triples and seven RBIs.
Kale Gaden, a catcher-outfielder from Stillwater, Okla., hit .317 with 31 doubles, five triples, 22 homers, 103 RBIs and 11 steals as a Star. He was a two-time second-team all-SAC selection.
Patrick Goelz, a righty from Palm Bay, Fla., was 6-4 with a 3.27 ERA, 11 saves and 90 strikeouts in 74.1 innings in two years. Goelz netted second-team all-league as a junior.
Davis Henderson, a righty from Spring, Texas, went 13-2 with a 2.31 ERA, nine saves and 99 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. Henderson picked up second-team all-SAC acclaim as a senior.
Derek Howell, a righty from Krum, Texas, led the conference in ERA this year. Howell nabbed first-team all-SAC honors while going 10-2 with a 1.78 ERA, five complete games, two shutouts and 85 strikeouts in 96.1 innings. Howell notched SAC pitcher of the week for March 18-24 after throwing a no-hitter against St. Gregory's on March 20 in Shawnee, Okla.
Jonathan Sigado, a first baseman, third baseman and designated hitter from Salem, Ore., posted a .314 career average, 20 doubles, a triple, 11 homers and 77 RBIs in two years. Sigado became a first-team all-SAC choice this year.
Trey Summers, a catcher-infielder from Tulsa, Okla., earned his degree in business while being a junior in eligibility.

NAIA Championship Opening Round
Oklahoma City Bracket
At Jim Wade Stadium
Thursday's Results
Jamestown (N.D.) 8, Northwestern (Iowa) 5, 14 inn.
Sterling (Kan.) 8, USAO 5
Jamestown 3, Oklahoma City 0
Friday's Results
USAO 5, Northwestern (Iowa) 4, Northwestern eliminated
Sterling 13, Jamestown 3
Oklahoma City 7, USAO 6, 11 inn., USAO eliminated
Saturday's Results
Oklahoma City 4, Jamestown 0, Jamestown eliminated
Sterling 1, Oklahoma City 0, championship

NAIA Opening Round Championship Game Gallery

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