SANTA BARBARA, Calif.�€"UC-Santa Barbara pounded out
13 hits and the Gauchos kept Dennis Bigley (Lancaster,
Texas) from becoming both Oral Roberts University and the
Mid-Continent Conference's all-time wins leader as UCSB defeated
ORU 6-4, Thursday afternoon at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Bigley (4-1) was
looking for career win No. 35, which would have vaulted him past
former ORU ace Michael Rogers into first place on the ORU and
Mid-Con career victories list. Instead, the senior All-American
suffered his first defeat since March 26, 2004, a span of 16
starts. The loss also snapped ORU's 6-game winning steak.
The Gauchos (12-11)
took the lead with two runs in the third inning. Bigley allowed
three consecutive one-out hits, the second a run-scoring double by
third baseman David Figoni for a 1-0 lead. Shortstop Chris Malec
followed with an RBI ground out and the Gauchos had a 2-0 lead.
ORU (13-7) got on the
board in the top of the fifth. Tim Torres (Rocklin,
Calif.) led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and
scored on Ricky
Rivera's (Santa Isabel, P.R.) one-out single.
But as they would do
throughout the game, the Gauchos got the run back in the bottom of
the inning. Malec's RBI single scored C.J. Cook with two outs and
UCSB led 3-1.
The Golden Eagles
plated a run in the top of the sixth to make it 3-2. Michael Hollimon (Dallas,
Texas) led off with a walk, stole second and came around to score
on a single by Brian
Hanson (Kelseyville, Calif.).
Again, though, the
gauchos responded, getting a pair of runs in the bottom of the
sixth and chasing Bigley from the game. Centerfielder Matt Emerick
and catcher Matt Kalafatis each collected one-out, RBI singles. The
hit by Kalafatis sent Bigley to the bench after 5.1 innings of
work.
Down 5-2, the Golden
Eagles kept it close with a two-run, two-out rally in the top of
the seventh. With one out, Rivera singled and Brian Aguailar (San Luis
Obispo, Calif.) walked. After Travis DeBondt
(Bakersfield, Calif.) grounded out, Hollimon ripped a double to
left-centerfield to make it 5-4. Hanson walked to put two on and
two out, but Jon
Tackett (Tulsa, Okla.) bounced out against reliever Loren
Fraser to end the threat.
UCSB added to its lead
when Malec led off the eighth with a solo home run off ORU reliever
Daniel
Greenwalt (LaHabra, Calif.), making it a 6-4 game.
Bigley allowed five
runs on 10 hits, striking out two and walking none. UCSB starter
Andy Graham (4-1) allowed four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings to
get the win. Alex McRobbie pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth
save.
The Golden Eagles and
Gauchos continue their three-game series at 4 p.m., CST,
Friday.
--ORU--
