WICHITA, Kan. – The top-ranked Oklahoma City University baseball team dropped a 6-4 non-conference decision to Friends (Kan.) Tuesday at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.
OCU, ranked No. 1 in the latest NAIA poll, mounted a comeback with three runs in the eighth inning, but were unable to hold complete the comeback as they fell to 40-6 on the season.
The Stars fell behind early after allowing three runs in the first three innings.
The score remained 3-0 until the eighth when OCU tied the game on and RBI double from Joe Lytle and a two-RBI double by Garrett Foster to knot the game at three.
Oklahoma City was unable to hold the lead as (RV) Friends, 29-15, answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the eighth.
Down 6-3 in the ninth inning, the Stars cut the lead to two on Lytle's third double of the game, but were unable to muster anything else.
Lytle, a junior from Yukon, led the way for Oklahoma City offensively going 4-for-5 with three doubles and two RBIs. Foster, a junior out of Ardmore, Okla., also had an impressive day as he finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Craig Knoche started the game on the mound and got a no decision after pitching six innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and striking out four.
Oklahoma City resumes conference play 6 p.m. Thursday against St. Gregory's at Jim Wade Stadium.