PLAINVIEW, Tex—The Oklahoma City University Baseball team concluded its three-game series against the Pioneers of Wayland Baptist University. The two teams split the doubleheader played on Monday. Game one saw OCU and OBU play to a one-run result, with game two ending with the same run margin. Monday was an exciting day on the diamond, with 36 total runs scored between the two teams and abundant late-game dramatic theatrics.
 

Game 1: Oklahoma City 8, WBU 7


Top Performers
Nic Bennett: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, BB, GW HR
Hunter Brown: 1-2, R, BB, 3 RBI, HR
 
In game one of Monday's doubleheader, OCU won after fighting their way back from a 6-0 deficit. From the first to the fourth inning, WBU scored all their offense on two singles and two home runs.
 
Starting the scoring off for the Pioneers was Samuel Fabian, who brought home a run on his RBI single. Sinclair Pimentel followed his teammates' lead and smacked an RBI single, which drove Fabian in the aforementioned.
 
WBU added to their lead with a second inning home run to right field by Delvis Claudio—his 18^th of the season.
 
The Pioneers extended their lead to six runs when Pimentel recorded his second hit of the game in the form of a three-run home run in the third inning. However, in the top of the fourth, the Stars connected on a home run of their own when Hunter Brown sent a three-run bomb of his own over the center field wall to cut the Pioneers' lead in half. Claudio notched another solo shot home run in the WBU half of the fourth inning, taking the lead to 7-3.
 
Game one saw eight runs worth of offense produced via the long ball between the second and fourth innings.
 
The sixth inning belonged to the Stars. OCU combined extra-base hitting with a single and ultimately took advantage of an error by WBU. Trent Kiraly trimmed the deficit to 7-4 when he singled to left field and drove Ethan Rhodes across home plate. Barrett Daniel then doubled to right field, advancing Kiraly to third and tallying an RBI by bringing Nic Bennett home. OCU tied the game at seven after Will Ellis reached first base on an error by the Pioneers' infield; the play resulted in Daniel and Kiraly scoring.  

Ultimately, the Stars took the lead for the first time in the game when Bennett connected on a home run to right field—the senior's solo shot proved to be the go-ahead and game-winning run for OCU.

Recording his first win of the season was junior Dalton Campbell, who came in and pitched three innings of shutout relief while striking out five Pioneers.



Game 2: WBU 11, OCU 10



Top Performers
Trent Kiraly: 3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, BB
Hunter Lenochan: 2-4. 4 R, RBI, BB, HR


In game two, OCU opened the game up early. During the first inning, the Stars tallied three runs, starting with a Lenochan home run. Ethan Rhodes then crossed home plate when the Pioneers committed an error. The Stars scored their third run of the inning on a single hit by Will Ellis, which scored Kiraly.     
 
OCU took a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning after adding two runs in the fourth inning. OCU took advantage of another WBU error that scored Anthony Kopecky. Stars slugger, Kiraly, then connected on an RBI single to center field.
 
Starting in the fifth inning, both teams' run production and offense went into hyperdrive. The Pioneers eventually tied the game at 5-5 after a Jauz single that scored Claudio. Arcadio Frausto then connected on a three-run home run to bring the game to a gridlock.
 
OCU took the lead right back in the top of the sixth when Kiraly doubled to right field. However, WBU answered and notched five runs to take the lead. Only one run was scored on an actual base hit by the Pioneers in the sixth inning. First, they scored on a wild pitch, then an error by Ethan Rhodes. WBU also executed a successful double steal of third base and home, scoring Felix Polanco. Lastly, the Pioneers scored on a single by Pimentel.
 
In the seventh inning, the Stars stormed back and tied the game before eventually taking the lead from the Pioneers. Eli Hill sent a two-RBI double to right field, scoring Oliver Falvey and Hunter Brown. Bennett then tied the game at nine runs apiece with an RBI single. The Stars were gifted their 10^th run when Lenochan scored on a wild pitch.
 
Ultimately, the Stars fell when Cooper Jauz drove in the game-winning run in walk-off fashion. Ralphael Beltre scored on the single hit by the Pioneers' second baseman.
 
The three-game series between the Pioneers and Stars saw 47 total runs of offense, with the winning team's one-run victories in all three games. Two of the three games ended with a walk-off, with the third being decided by a go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning for OCU.
 

Next Up
Oklahoma City will return home to host a three-game series at Denney Crabaugh Field against Oklahoma Panhandle State. The series will begin on Friday with a doubleheader, with game one at 4 PM and game two at 7 PM. Then, on Saturday at noon, the two teams will conclude their series.

 
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