Box Score
TULSA, Okla. -- Taylor McIntyre struck out a
career-high 12 and retired the game's final 19 batters as Oral
Roberts opened its key Mid-Continent Conference series against
Southern Utah with an 11-2 win over the Thunderbirds, Friday at
J.L. Johnson Stadium.
McIntyre (4-2), a freshman left-hander, allowed two runs on just
three hits for his second complete game of the season. He needed
only 101 pitches to subdue the SUU lineup. At one point McIntyre
fanned five straight batters and recorded seven consecutive outs
over three innings via strikeout. He struck out three batters in
the second, three in the third and one each in the fourth through
ninth innings.
ORU (27-17, 8-1), which won for the eighth straight game and now
has a three-game lead over SUU atop the Mid-Con standings, jumped
out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Grant Plumley drove home a
run with a single and Matt VanDerBosch later scored on a wild
pitch.
The Golden Eagles continued to pound away at Southern Utah
starter Shane Perkins (2-4) in the second. Andy Hargrove belted a
two-run homer and Plumley added a two-run single for a 6-0 ORU
lead.
Southern Utah (13-20, 5-4) scored its only runs with two outs in
the third. McIntyre struck out the first two batters but then hit
Kelcey Kemp with a pitch and gave up a single to Ty Doezie. Jake
Reynolds doubled them home, trimming ORU's lead to 6-2. But
Reynolds would be the last base runner for SUU as McIntyre retired
the next 19 batters to finish off the game.
ORU sealed the game with a five-run fourth inning. Plumley,
David Castillo and Josh Lex had RBI singles and Dennis Bigley
ripped a two-run double as ORU went on top 11-2.
Plumley led ORU's 14-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with four RBI.
VanDerBosch continued his recent torrid pace with a 3-for-5
performance raising his Mid-Con leading batting average to .385,
scoring three runs and stealing three bases. Lex was 2-for-4 with
an RBI.
The Golden Eagles and Thunderbirds are scheduled to play a 2
p.m. doubleheader on Saturday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
