OKLAHOMA CITY – The OCU baseball team had five hitters with multiple base hits to help lead another come-from-behind victory for Oklahoma City to complete the series sweep and secure a 6-0 start for the first time since 2019. 

Oklahoma City 11, Clarke University 6 

Key Leaders 

Aiden Alexander – 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 R, BB 

Trent Kiraly – 2-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 R, BB 

Noah Kang – 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R 

Barrett Daniel – 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 R 

Aiden Van Rensum (1-0) came out of the DH spot and took the mound for the first time this season in the seventh frame for Oklahoma City (6-0) while earning the victory after allowing just one hit and sitting down four Clarke (0-3) batters. In the batter's box, the Stars were paced by Aiden Alexander, who went 2-for-4 on the day with two RBIs and two runs scored while moving his hitting streak to six games, becoming the only Star to have a hit in each game this season. Trent Kiraly furnished a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 while launching his second home of the series and third of the season. Barrett Daniel also chipped in for OCU, sending his second home run of the series out of the park to wrap up a 1-for-3 day. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

After getting on the board in the top of the first, Clarke held a 1-0 lead until OCU broke the game open in the bottom frame of the second as Barrett Daniel ripped a two-run shot over the right field wall. The Stars closed out their three-run inning with catcher Hunter Brown hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Hunter Lenochan to go up 3-1. 

Clarke saw its biggest inning of the series come in the sixth as three straight base hits brought in four runs to give the Pride a 6-3 lead. 

Once again, the Stars had to come from behind and the comeback kids succeeded on it scoring two runs in the sixth and seventh innings, with a four-run inning coming in the eighth. OCU's eight unanswered runs came from a full team effort as Kiraly helped get it going with a solo shot and eventually gave the Stars the lead for the final time. 

In the four-run eighth inning, Oklahoma City sent seven batters to the plate with Aiden Alexander building on his game-tying knock in the seventh with a single up the middle to bring home Spencer Biggerstaff to extend the OCU lead. 

Darian Duhon helped add on to that lead with his second hit of the day scoring Noah Kang before Chad Pike grabbed the bat and brought in two more runs to cap off the four-run inning for his first hit of the season. 

Connor Ferguson made his second start on the bump this season and left with a no-decision after throwing 4.2 innings while allowing two runs on six hits and struck out six. 

Aiden Van Rensum stepped into the game for the first time this season in the seventh inning where the sophomore struck out the side against the first three batters he faced. Van Rensum sat down a total of four while allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings of work. 

Chad Pike shut the door on the Pride and earned his second save of the season and has yet to give up a hit in 3.1 innings of action. 

GAME NOTES 

• Five OCU hitters collected multiple base hits while four had at least two RBIs. 
• Stars pitchers combined to strike out 12 Clarke hitters. 
• Clarke left 12 runners stranded on base compared to Oklahoma City being able to capitalize leaving just four.  
• Oklahoma City scored double-digit runs for the fourth time in six games to open the season. 
• Aiden Alexander moved his hitting streak to six with a hit in each game. 
• Darian Duhon continues his hot start to the 2024 season holding the highest number of hits on the team with 11 while finishing the series 5-for-10 at the plate with an RBI in each game. 
• Trent Kiraly and Barrett Daniel smashed two home runs each in the series as Kiraly tied Alexander for the second most hits on the team with 10 while Daniel has driven in at least one run in five out of the six games played. 
• With three wins over Clarke, the Stars pick up back-to-back sweeps to open the season and start 6-0 for the first time since the 2019 season.
• Oklahoma City opened up play this weekend for the first time at the newly named Denney Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium. 

UP NEXT 

On the horizon for Oklahoma City is a big weekend up ahead at Denney Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium as #7 Bellevue University and Concordia (Neb.) come to town for a five-game round-robin series on Saturday (Feb. 10) and Sunday (Feb. 11.)