Drovers Score 20 as they Eliminate Top Seeded Hope International

LEWISTON, Idaho – Tuesday afternoon, the No. 2 seed University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (35-19, 17-7 SAC) picked up a huge win in the first elimination game of the 2023 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round, with a 20-12 victory against No. 1 seed Hope International University (33-11, 19-5 GSAC).

Hope International took an early lead with one run in the bottom of the first inning. The score remained 1-0 until the Drovers struck for a trio of runs in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by Gunnar Hansen's two-run homerun. 

The lead was short-lived as HIU pushed across six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. 

Science & Arts once again responded emphatically, scoring 10 runs in the top of the fifth inning. USAO added two runs in each of the next two innings to extend the lead to 17-7, prior to Hope International scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth, but Science & Arts added three more insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning.

Reed Butz delivered an incredibly gutsy performance. With little wiggle-room in the bullpen, Butz was a tough as could be and went 8.0 to improve his record to 10-2 this season. Butz struck out 10 batters, marking the fourth time this season that Butz has recorded at least 10 strikeouts in a game. 

Claudio Rodriguez delivered a scoreless ninth inning to eliminate the top seeded Royals. 

As a team, the Drovers compiled 21 hits to score their 20 runs, while holding the Royals to 11 hits. 

USAO's 20 runs marked the sixth time this season that the Drovers have scored at least 20 runs in a game, and the third time they have recorded 20 hits or more. 

Nine different players recorded hits in USAO's win, led by Christopher Martinez's four-hit performance. Martinez concluded 4-6 with a grand slam homerun and three runs scored. 

Peyton McDowall, Gunnar Hansen, and Gavin Machado each contributed a trio of hits. McDowall finished 3-6 with three runs scored and a run batted in. Hansen concluded 3-4 with a double, a homerun, two runs scored, and three runs batted in, while Machado went 3-5 with a double, a triple, and two runs batted in.

Gage Gaunt drove in three runs as he finished 2-5 with a double, a homerun, and three runs scored. Ben Lawson doubled twice as he went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBIs. 

Nick Fleckenstein and Ryan Duncan each singled, scored, and drove in a run. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

Science & Arts will once again fight for their postseason lives as they head into a rematch against No. 3 seed Concordia (Mich.). First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 PM CT at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho. 

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