OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University rallied past MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 8-5 on Saturday afternoon at Jim Wade Stadium in a clash of top 25-ranked teams in NAIA baseball. 

The 20th-ranked Stars blanked Bethany (Kan.) 6-0 on Saturday evening. Oklahoma City improved to 9-1 on the year. 

Against No. 22 MidAmerica Nazarene, OCU overcame 3-0 and 4-3 deficits. Darian Luper lofted a two-run triple into left-center field to give the Stars the lead for good 5-4 in the fourth inning. 

In the fifth, Hunter Brown knocked in the winning run with a base hit to right. Cade Stephens reached home plate on a passed ball. 

OCU tied the game 3-3 in the third. Cross Factor put the Stars on the board with a run-scoring single to right field. Frederic Walter hammered a two-run blast over the left-field wall to even the score. 

Factor crushed a solo home run beyond the right-field wall in the sixth. The Stars finished 2-0 against the Pioneers over the weekend. 

Isaac Horstman notched his first career victory by working two innings and striking out two. Braden Hill earned his first save of the year. 

Stephens, a senior from Blanchard, Okla., drove in OCU's first run against Bethany with a double into right-center in the third.  

Luper pounded a two-run to right to finish a five-run third inning for Oklahoma City. 

Tanner Sparks and Travis Herriott teamed to shut out Bethany on four hits and two walks. Sparks, a senior right-hander from Shawnee, Okla., fanned eight in five innings. 

The Stars face Bethany in a noon doubleheader Sunday at Jim Wade Stadium.