Tulsa, Okla.- The Missouri State
pitching staff walked three batters in a row, including the winning
run, in a 15 inning, four hour battle to give Oral Roberts
University (8-3) the 7-6 win over Missouri State (4-4) on Monday
afternoon at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
Freshman Matt
Frevert came in to pitch in the bottom of the 15th
inning and proceeded to walk three Golden Eagles batters to give
the Golden Eagles the game-winning run. Andy Bouchie started things
off for ORU, singling up the middle. Travis DeBondt then moved
Bouchie to second on a sacrifice bunt, bringing up first baseman
Chad
Rothford. Frevert then walked Rothford and Ben Baker to load the
bases. Brendon
Duffy swung out trying to end the game, which brought up
catcher Brain
Aguilar. Frevert walked Aguilar, bringing home pinch
runner Pat
Warfle for the 7-6 Golden Eagles win.
The Golden
Eagles saw their six run, late-inning lead slip away when they gave
up three-run homers in both the seventh and eighth innings. Starter
Daniel
Greenwalt pitched six scoreless innings before giving up a
homer to Nolan Keane, knocking in three runs in the top of the
seventh and bringing the score to 6-3.
Chris Ashman came in for
Greenwalt in the top of the eighth and downed the first batter
before giving up a hit and three runs off of a home run over the
left field wall to Bear's first baseman Tim Rafferty, tying the
game at 6-6.
The next five
innings remained scoreless for both teams until the Golden Eagles
caught their break in the 15th inning.
ORU got on the
board first in the second inning when an error by Bear's third
baseman Tony Lewis put Bouchie on first base, setting up the RBI
triple by DeBondt.
The Golden
Eagles were most productive in the sixth inning, scoring four runs
off of four hits and two defensive errors.
Ashman was the
pitcher of record as he picked up his first win of the season.
Missouri State pitcher Frevert fell to 1-0 on the season. ORU
outhit the visitors 10-8 and committed two errors to MSU's
five.
ORU goes on the
road to Tulane for a three-game series that begins on Friday night
in New Orleans, LA. Game times are set for 6:30, 2:00, and 1:00
p.m.
