CHICKASHA, Okla. -  The Oklahoma City University baseball team edged out a gritty victory over USAO, 3-2 on Thursday night at Bill Smith Ballpark.

With the win, OCU improved to 25-13, while the Drovers fell to 24-13.
 
Senior Barrett Daniel was only one of two Stars who had multiple hits to go along with a solo home run to left field, two runs scored and an RBI while Reese Ratchford hit his third home run of the season.
 
On the mound, senior Andrew Limbaugh got the start and worked his way to an eight inning stint allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven.

Limbaugh set a new career-high with the eight innings pitched and tied his second-highest number of strikeouts on the season.

Graduate student Chad Pike came on to close things down cruising to his 10th save of the year with a clean inning of sitting down all three batters with one strikeout. Pike's 10th save put him in sole possession of first in all of the NAIA in saves this season. 
 
After a scoreless first, Ian Ortiz pushed USAO out front with an opposite-field two run home run, taking a 2-0 in the second inning. 
 
Oklahoma City got its run back in the top of the third on Ratchford's third home run of the season and tied up the game with another home run in the fifth from Barrett Daniel, his sixth of the year.
  
In the top of the seventh, the Stars broke through and its first lead of the night as Hunter Lenochan drove in his 22nd RBI of the year with a single up the middle to score Daniel and take a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Drovers down to their final three outs, Pike forced a ground out and fly out and slammed the door shut with a game-ending strikeout.

Trent Kiraly finished the night 1-for-4 with his 11th double of the year while Aiden Van Rensum clinched a base knock for the 10th time in the last 11 games.
 
Oklahoma City and Science & Arts will be back in action on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 PM at Bill Smith Ballpark in Chickasha, Okla.