SPRINGFIELD �€" The Oral Roberts University baseball
team gave up five runs over the final two innings, dropping a 7-4
decision to Southwest Missouri State Tuesday night at Hammons
Field.
The Golden Eagles (13-10) held a 4-2 advantage after six innings,
but couldn't hold on as the Bears (9-13) rallied for their first
win over ORU since 2001.
SMS started the scoring in the second, as Scott Nasby recorded a
two-out single off of Golden Eagle starter Dane
Towery (Mustang, Okla.) that scored Chris Taylor for a 1-0
Bear lead.
SMS added another run in the second, when Michael
Hollimon (Dallas, Texas) dropped an infield pop-up with
two outs, allowing Kirk McConnell to score from third and make it
2-0.
The Golden Eagle offense finally found life in the sixth, battling
back to take the lead.
Hollimon led off the inning with a double to right and later scored
on a Dennis Bigley (Lancaster, Texas) single to
center. Rene Recio(Corpus Christi, Texas) then
reached on an error, setting the stage for a Ricky
Rivera (Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico) blast over wall in left
field that gave ORU a 4-2 advantage.
Towery cruised through the middle innings before running into
trouble in the seventh. After McConnel led the inning off with a
double, Matt Weglarz added a two-out double of his own, platting
McConnell and bringing the home team to within 4-3.
Daniel Greenwalt (LaHabra, Calif.) then came in to relieve Towery
and got Taylor to strike out, ending the inning.
SMS was back at it again in the eighth, however, when two walks and
a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out. The last walk signaled
the end of the line for Greenwalt (2-1), as he gave way to Tim
Robertson (Huntington Beach, Calif.).
McConnell immediately laced a double down the left field line,
clearing the bases and putting the Bears back on top, 6-4.
SMS would add an insurance run to take a 7-4 lead into the
ninth.
The Golden Eagles had a chance in the ninth, loading the bases with
two outs. But the BEars' D.J. Roshone (1-1) struck out Hollimon to
end the game.
Rivera accounted for two of ORU's four hits on the evening, going
2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
The Golden Eagles will next travel to Coral Gables, Florida, for a
four game set against the Miami Hurricanes. First pitch for
Thursday's game is set for 6:00 p.m. CST.
--ORU--
