OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University baseball collected a pair of wins Saturday afternoon at Jim Wade Stadium, topping MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 11-8 and smashing Concordia (Neb.) 12-3.
Quinton Walbergh was the spark plug OCU needed finishing the two-game stretch with a total of two hits, three walks, five runs and an RBI. The Stars, ranked eighth in the NAIA, improved to 13-1 on the season, while MidAmerica Nazarene fell to 1-3 and Concordia dropped to 0-2.
In the first game of Saturday's two-game stretch, OCU again was slow getting their bats going. The Stars scored two runs in the third, a run in the fifth and pulled away with eight runs in the sixth. Walbergh drove home Jared Hazeldine for the first run of the game and later scored after a passed ball and then an error by the catcher, who threw the ball into left field.
MidAmerica Nazarene retook the lead in the top of the fifth when Jeremie Gonzalez doubled to drive in Jared Crispin and Joshuan Sandoval singles through the left side to score Gonzalez. OCU tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Williams walked to force home Hazeldine.
The Pioneers built a five run lead in the sixth. Juwan Padro scored on an error, Sam Parrish drove in Cristian Rivera and Gonzalez doubled into the corner to score Kyle Franklin, Joshua Crispin and Austin Healy.
Oklahoma City rallied in the bottom of the sixth when Noah Barks doubled into right center driving in Bryson Lierle and Garrett Horton. Tyler Williams walked to push home Barks. Caleb Davis and Lierle launch back-to-back jacks over the scoreboard. Davis smacked a grand slam, While Lierle connects on a solo homerun ending the scoring at 11-8.
Brandon Goldston got the start going 5.0 innings to receive a no decision. Brandon Goldston allowed four runs on seven hits and strikes out five, before handing the ball off to his younger brother, Chris Goldston who takes over and throws an inning to collect the win in relief. Tyler Milligan, a senior from Binger, Okla., closes things out by striking out the side to collect his second save of the season.
Oklahoma City got right to work in its second game of the day, blitzing Concordia with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Walbergh got things started by walking. Peyton Crispin followed with a single, then Elliott Cary walked to load the bases and Tyler Williams was hit by a pitch to push the first run in for the Stars. Crispin scored on a groundout, while Cary crossed the plate off an error. Cary finished 2-for-2 with three runs, two walks, and two RBIs.
Concordia got a run back in the second on an Evan Bohman homerun cutting OCU's lead to 4-2. The Stars answered right back again, with Walbergh scoring on an error. A single from Davis drove in Peyton Crispin, then Dillon Goddard and Walbergh scored on a Cary single to right and Tyler Williams knocked in Peyton Crispin with a single pushing the Stars lead to 7-2. OCU added two more runs in the fifth, when Cary scored on a dropped fly ball by the center fielder and Tristan William knocked a single back through the box to score Grant Harrison. Concordia was able to get a run back in the top of the seventh when Johnny May doubled home Peyton Scott.
Jake Patterson, a junior from Ardmore, Okla., earned his third win of the season on the mound allowing seven hits while striking out eight in 6.0 innings. Caleb Evans came on to throw the final inning. Evans allowed a run on a hit and struck out two.
Oklahoma City plays next at 10 a.m. Sunday against Concordia in a double header at Jim Wade Stadium.