#25 USAO Splits Double-Header at OCU

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Saturday afternoon, the No. 25 ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (28-17, 14-7 SAC) split a double-header at Oklahoma City University (24-18, 14-7 SAC). The three-game series opened on Thursday, with OCU claiming an 8-2 win on their home field.

On Saturday, the Stars won the first game of the day 9-4, but the Drovers responded strong with a 10-9 victory in the series finale.

The Drovers and Stars are now locked in a tie for third place in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with identical 14-7 (.667) conference records. 

-GAME 1-

The Stars grabbed the momentum early, with one run in the bottom of the first inning. However, the Drovers immediately responded with a run of their own, tying the score at 1-1 in the top of the second. 

USAO captured the lead with a run in the top of the third inning, but the lead was short-lived as OCU scored three runs in the bottom half of the third, followed by four more in the fourth.

The Drovers trimmed the deficit to 8-4 with a run in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Stars halted any momentum for USAO as they scored their final insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Kaden Alexander got the start for the Drovers on the mound and pitched the opening 3.1 innings. Alexander surrendered four hits and two earned runs, while striking out three batters. Boone Lasater relieved Alexander in the fourth inning and pitched the next 2.1 innings. Lasater allowed two earned runs and he struck out three batters. JD Prather struck out the only batter he faced in the sixth inning.

Offensively, the Drovers produced eight hits as a team, led by Christopher Martinez and Gabriel Arroyo's two-hit performances. Martinez finished 2-4 with a double, while Arroyo went 2-4 with a run scored.

Ben Lawson concluded 1-3 with a double and a run batted in. Will Hoch singled and scored twice as he went 1-3 with a walk. Nick Fleckenstein went 1-4 with a run scored and Gage Gaunt went 1-3 with a walk. 

-GAME 2-

After a scoreless first inning, the Drovers took the lead with a run in the top of the second. The Stars claimed the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third.

Both teams pushed across three runs in the fourth inning and the score was 5-4 in favor of OCU going into the fifth inning.

Science & Arts struck for four runs in the top of the fifth, followed by a pair in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-5.

However, the Stars would make things interesting by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, followed by one more in the seventh, but left the bases loaded as the final out of the game was recorded.

Reed Butz got the start on the mound for USAO and pitched the opening 4.0 innings. Butz allowed five runs and struck out three batters. Claudio Rodriguez earned his first win of the season as he pitched 2.0 innings in relief. Rodriguez surrendered three runs and struck out two batters. Alden Norquist recorded his sixth save of the season as he held the Stars to only one run in the seventh inning.

The Drovers produced 13 hits as a team, led by multi-hit performances from Peyton McDowall, Gavin Machado, and Gage Gaunt. McDowall concluded a single shy of the cycle, going 3-3 with a walk, a double, a triple, a homerun, four runs scored, and four runs batted in. Machaco finished 3-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Gage Gaunt went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and a run batted in.

Ryan Duncan went 1-2 with a walk and a double. Gabriel Arroyo also doubled as he finished 1-5 with a run scored. Christopher Martinez scored a pair of runs in a 1-3 performance that also included a single and a walk. Nick Fleckenstein and Luke Lewis each singled in the win.

USAO Baseball Schedule by The Numbers

• #25 in latest NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll
• #22 in latest Perfect Game Top 25 Poll
• #14 overall in latest NAIA BO CHIP report
  • #10 vs NAIA opponents only*
• #19 in latest RPI rankings
• #6 Strength of schedule in NAIA

• Only 3 of 19 opponents have sub .500 records

• 10 of 18 NAIA opponents have been ranked or receiving votes in Top 25 poll at some point this season.

• USAO has won 11 of 15 "series" so far
  • *series of 2 games or more*

• Series victories vs #5 Bellevue (2-0), #14 TX Wes (3-0), RV McPherson (2-1), RV MACU (2-1) 

• 9-6 record vs teams currently in Top 25 or RV

• USAO has won 5 of 7 conference series' so far.
  • 0-3 L at SAGU
  • 2-1 W vs MACU
  • 3-0 W vs TX WES
  • 3-0 W vs CCC
  • 2-1 W at SCU
  • 3-0 W vs WBU
  • 1-2 L at OCU

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Drovers will wrap up the regular season with a three-game series at Oklahoma Panhandle State University on April 28-29. First pitch of Friday's double-header is scheduled for 1:00 PM, followed by a 12:00 PM start time on Saturday in Goodwell, Okla.

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