OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University took down Science & Arts 8-2 in the first of three important Sooner Athletic Conference baseball matchups Thursday night at Jim Wade Stadium.

Eli Davis and Chad Pike shut down the Drovers, ranked 25th in the NAIA, allowing just five hits. OCU's record moved to 23-17, 13-6 in the SAC.

Oklahoma City has taken eight of its last nine games and improved its mark vs. ranked opponents to 9-4 on the year.
 
The Stars mustered two extra-base hits with Reese Ratchford's and Pike's doubles. OCU had four earned and four unearned runs in the game as the Drovers had three costly errors and managed only one extra-base hit.
 
Tristan Williams started the Oklahoma City scoring off with a two-run single in the first, bringing home Aiden Alexander and Ratchford. Hunter Lenochan drove in Barrett Daniel and Williams who both advanced to scoring position on an error the play before. Pike scored the next OCU run on an error to make it a 5-0 game.
 
The Stars' next run came on Pike's double in the third inning as Lenochan scored after reaching on an error. OCU led 6-0 after three inning with all six runs coming with two outs.
 
It was a pitcher's duel from the top of the fourth until the bottom of the eighth when OCU scored two more runs. Alexander's speed allowed Lenochan to score as USAO failed to turn two to end the inning. Noah Kang later singled and drove home Ratchford in his lone at-bat to bring the score to 8-2.
 
The Stars allowed one Drover run in the third on a fielder's choice as they were just late on the double play attempt. The Drovers next run came in the eighth as Ben Lawson drove home Peyton McDowall on the hit.
 
Pike went 2-for-3 in the game with one RBI. Pike, the senior from Watermill, N.Y., studying business administration, got the final five outs by picking up three strikeouts. Alexander and Kang picked up an RBI in their one hit. Lenochan and Williams had two RBIs each in their 1-for-4 stat lines. Daniel added a hit as well on the night.
 
Davis brought a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Davis, a senior from Shawnee, Okla., majoring in criminal justice, finished with 10 strikeouts allowing three hits in 7.1 innings of work. His record now stands at 8-2.
 
OCU wraps up the Science & Arts series with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch is set for noon at Jim Wade Stadium.