Baseball 2/15/2014 6:54:00 PM

Stars top MidAmerica Nazarene 11-3, Bellevue 3-1

OCU powers past Pioneers, shuts down Bruins

Forrest Smith drove in three runs for the Stars in wins over MidAmerica Nazarene and Bellevue.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University picked up an 11-3 victory over MidAmerica Nazarene before topping Bellevue (Neb.) 3-1 Saturday at Jim Wade Stadium.
Home runs from Connor Lynch and Forrest Smith powered the Stars, ranked No. 5 in NAIA baseball, past the Pioneers 11-3, and Chris Pike's 12-strikeout performance propelled OCU past the 14th-ranked Bruins 3-1. The wins moved OCU to 2-1 on the young season.
Lynch put the Stars on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning when he blasted a two-run homer over the center-field fence. Smith followed with a solo shot to center and gave OCU a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Hunter Marcum singled to left and plated Garrett Foster from third base. Lynch followed with a single through the right side of the infield that scored Josh Halbert. Jared Baker capped the inning with a single up the middle that scored Ryan Wright from second and made the score 6-0 in favor of the Stars.
After surrendering a run in the top of the third, OCU pushed three more runs across in the bottom of the fourth and took a 9-1 lead. Marcum and Lynch started the scoring with back-to-back RBI doubles. One batter later, Smith tripled to center and drove in his second run of the game.
After the Pioneers scored again in the top of the sixth, Laszlo Horvath doubled down the left-field line and drove in a run in the bottom half of the inning. Austin Murphy followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Josh Dickey and made the score 11-2.
MidAmerica Nazarene was able to push a run across in the top of the seventh, but Cale Russell retired the side and gave the Stars the 11-3 victory.
Russell tossed seven innings, allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out eight batters to pick up the win.
Lynch was 3-for-3 with four RBIs at the dish to lead OCU. Marcum and Smith followed with two RBIs apiece.
OCU jumped out to an early three-run lead against Bellevue. Lynch started the scoring when he doubled to center and drove in Adonis Askew. Smith and Baker followed with RBI singles to stretch the OCU lead to 3-0.
The Bruins pushed a run across in the top of the second, but Pike shut down the Bellevue offense and handed OCU the 3-1 victory.
Pike tossed seven innings, allowed one run on four hits and struck out 12 to pick up the win.
Baker, Lynch and Smith led the Stars at the plate with one RBI apiece.
OCU will return to action against Bellevue at noon Sunday at Jim Wade Stadium.

Print Friendly Version