CHICKASHA, Okla. – Oklahoma City University defeated USAO 9-1 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader before falling 6-4 in the second game at Bill Smith Ballpark.
OCU's Mark Simon commanded the Stars in game one with a complete game on seven strikeouts, while only allowing three hits, a walk and a run. The Stars lost their first Sooner Athletic Conference series of the season to drop to 9-3 in conference and 28-11 overall.
Oklahoma City grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first inning off a Drovers' error, but it was the third inning in which the Stars built their commanding lead.
With the bases loaded, OCU's Joe Lytle reached on an error by USAO's first baseman which allowed Garrett Foster to score. Landon Coon followed with a two-run single, while Dylan Delso added a RBI single in the next at-bat. Jared Baker then grounded into a double play, however Coon scored to make it a 6-0 OCU advantage.
Baker scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and hit a two-run home run in the seventh to stretch the Stars' lead to 9-0. Baker finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a run, while Coon went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
Simon yielded USAO's one run and two of their three hits in the seventh inning before shutting the door and improving to 4-3 on the year. USAO's Allan Sanchez received the loss and dropped to 7-1 on the season.
The Drovers jumped out on front of the Stars in game two on a two-run RBI single in the first inning and extended the lead to 3-0 on a RBI single in the second inning.
OCU's Lytle and Coon smacked back-to-back solo homers in the third inning to cut the Drovers' lead to 3-2.
USAO responded with a solo blast in the bottom half of the third inning and had single-run innings in the fourth and fifth to make it a 6-2 Drovers' advantage.
In the seventh inning, the Stars narrowed the gap to 6-4 on a Delso RBI double and a USAO error that allowed Coon to score, however USAO reliever Cesar Figuereo ended the threat to record the save and preserve the win for the Drovers.
Drovers' starter Alsis Herrera registered the win on 6.2 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts. OCU's Skylar Janisse picked up the loss on 3.2 innings pitched with five strikeouts and fell to 4-3 on the season. Holden Lyons contributed 2.1 innings of relief for the Stars, while allowing one run and notching two strikeouts.
Lytle went 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI, while Foster finished 2-for-3. Coon drew two walks in addition to his sixth home run of the year.
The Stars face Southwestern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jim Wade Stadium.