Baseball 2/14/2014 10:22:00 PM

MidAmerica Nazarene tops OCU 8-6

Stars drop season opener to Pioneers

Shane Henderson struck out five in 5.2 innings of work.

Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University fell 8-6 to MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) in its season opener Friday at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars held a 4-3 advantage after five innings, but the Pioneers rallied to score two runs in the top of the sixth and three more in the top of the eighth and took the opening-day victory.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, OCU pushed two runs across in the bottom of the second and took a 2-1 lead. Mason Toole doubled down the right-field line to drive in Forrest Smith from second base. Adonis Askew followed with a single to right center that scored Hunter Marcum from second and put the Stars on top.
The Pioneers regained the lead at 3-2 in a two-run top of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Ryan Wright scored to knot the game at 3-3. Smith followed with a double to right field that plated Josh Halbert from second and gave OCU a 4-3 advantage.
The Pioneers responded with five unanswered runs in the top of the sixth and the top of the eighth and took an 8-4 lead.
Askew tripled and drove in Connor Lynch in the bottom of the eighth and Jared Baker singled in Wright in the bottom of the ninth, but MidAmerica Nazarene was able to close the door and hand the Stars the 8-6 loss.
Shane Henderson got the start and struck out five batters in 5.2 innings but was saddled with the loss. Holden Lyons threw 3.1 innings in relief and struck out four.
Askew went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Stars at the dish. Baker, Smith and Toole drove in one run apiece.
The Stars will return to action against MidAmerica Nazarene at 10 a.m. and against Bellevue (Neb.) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium.

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