SAN ANTONIO, Texas�€"Rene Recio (Corpus Christi,
Texas) pitched four scoreless innings in his first start of the
season and Taylor
McIntyre (Edmond, Okla.) struck out the final two batters
with the tying run on base in the ninth as Oral Roberts University
held on for a 5-4 win over Texas-San Antonio in the championship
game of the Alamo City Classic, Saturday at Wolff Stadium.
ORU (9-6) jumped out to
an early 5-0 lead, but the bullpen faltered after Recio (1-0) left
following his four innings of work. The Golden Eagles scored a run
in the first on an RBI double by Jon Tackett (Tulsa, Okla.)
and took a 2-0 lead on Ricky Rivera's (Santa
Isabel, P.R.) run-scoring single in the third.
ORU built a 5-0 lead
with a three-run fourth. Kevin Lamb (Owasso, Okla.)
led off the inning with a solo home run and Brian Hanson (Kelseyville,
Okla.) and Tournament MVP Dennis Bigley (Lancaster,
Texas) delivered run-scoring singles to help the Golden Eagles to
what seemed to be a commanding lead.
But the Roadrunners
(4-14) fought backed in the bottom of the fifth, getting three runs
in on one hit, three walks and two errors. Two of the three runs
were unearned off reliever Matt Hancock (Okmulgee,
Okla.), who was relieved by Tim Robertson (Huntington
Beach, Calif.) who promptly issued a bases-loaded walk to make it
5-3. But Robertson ended the inning with a strikeout to preserve
the lead.
The game remained a 5-3
ORU lead until UTSA added its final run in the bottom of the
seventh. Eric Moreno drove in a run with a ground out to put the
Roadrunners within 5-4. But with the tying run at third, Robertson
got a pop up to end the inning.
UTSA threatened again
in the bottom of the ninth. Michael McKennon led off with a single
and was sacrificed to second. McIntyre relieved Robertson with the
tying run at third and struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Johnson and
Moreno to end the game.
Recio allowed three
hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts in his first start
since last April 27th. Robertson gave up a run on three
hits in 3.2 innings of work.
Hanson, Tackett and
Lamb each had two hits for the Golden Eagles, and all three joined
Bigley on the all-tournament team, along with pitcher Daniel Greenwalt
(LaHabra, Calif.). Bigley was 1-for-5 with an RBI, giving him 15
RBI in four tournament games. He also hurled six shutout innings in
Wednesday's opening round win over Southwest Missouri State.
The Golden Eagles
return to action when they open a three-game home series with
Texas-Pan American, 3 p.m., Friday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
--ORU--
