#26 ORAL ROBERTS HOLDS OFF EVANSVILLE, 12-10, IN BASEBALL OPENER

TULSA, Okla. – A six-run sixth inning rally by the #26 Oral Roberts baseball team was too much to overcome Friday for the University of Evansville, as the Golden Eagles held off the Purple Aces, 12-10, at J.L. Johnson Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma

“One bad inning today hurt us,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “We couldn’t overcome that six-run sixth inning, and we have to learn from it.  But, our offense never gave up and gave us a chance.

“That’s a very quality ballclub over there in Oral Roberts, but we knew that coming in.  It’s going to be a dog fight tomorrow, and I am looking forward to seeing Nick Smith on the mound for us.”

Evansville jumped out of the gates early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a two-run triple by junior second baseman Cal McGinnis and an RBI single by graduate catcher Brendan Hord.

The Golden Eagles would respond with a run of its own in the second inning, and three more in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead, before UE would tie the game at 4-4 in the fourth on an RBI single by junior center-fielder Ty Rumsey.  McGinnis then gave UE a 6-4 lead in the fifth inning on a titanic two-run home run to right field.  McGinnis, a transfer from Bradley, started his Evansville career with three-straight hits, and stood just a double shy of the cycle by the mid-point of the game.

Senior shortstop Simon Scherry would follow with an RBI single three batters later to score junior designated hitter Evan Waggoner and give UE a 7-4 lead through five innings.    But, Oral Roberts would scratch across a run of its own in the bottom of the fifth, and then took advantage of four Evansville walks and an error to plate six runs in the sixth inning to grab an 11-7 lead.

Evansville would not go quietly, though.  Scherry knocked a two-run double to the left-center field gap with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning to trim the lead to 11-9.  UE would then tack on another run in the frame on a run-scoring wild pitch, but ORU reliever Caleb Isaacs got UE outfielder Mark Shallenberger to line out to center field to secure an 11-10 lead.

Evansville brought the potential tying run to the plate in both the eighth and ninth innings, but ORU reliever Dalton Patten recorded the final six outs for a two-inning save, striking out four.

Scherry led all players by going 4-for-5 with a double and three RBI, while McGinnis went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and four RBI.  Overall, Evansville out-hit Oral Roberts, 14-10.

The season-opening three-game series will continue on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.  UE will send senior RHP Nick Smith (5-3, 4.63 ERA) to the mound trying to tie the series at one game apiece.