VALPRAISO,
Ind.�€"Jake Kahaulelio drove in
four runs in the opener and Chris Ashman tossed a
complete game 6-hitter in the night cap as Oral Roberts University
swept a Mid-Continent Conference doubleheader from Valparaiso,
winning 9-6 and 8-1 Saturday at Bauer Field.
The Mid-Con opener for
the Golden Eagles (18-12, 2-0 Mid-Con) started off with bang.
Consecutive one-out RBI singles by Jake Kahaulelio and Chad Rothford gave
ORU a 2-0 first-inning lead.
Kahaulelio connected
for a two-run homer in the top of the third for a 4-0 lead, but
Valpo got back in the game an inning later. A two-out RBI bloop
double by Brian
Rzepka cut ORU's lead in half to 4-2 in the bottom of the
fourth.
ORU made it 5-2 in the
top of the fifth on an RBI groundout by Andy Bouchie.
But again, Valpo made a
charge and tied the game at 5-5 with a three-run sixth. A
bases-loaded walk to John Giusti and a two-run single by Jon Rupno
tied the game.
The game remained tied
until the top of the eighth. Kelly Minissale laced an
RBI single for a 6-5 lead and Kahaulelio followed with an RBI
fielder's choice for a 7-5 lead. ORU tacked on two more runs in the
ninth when Brendan
Duffy lined a two-run single to center field to make it
9-5.
Valparaiso scratched
across a run in the ninth inning against reliever Sean Jarrett, but Jarrett
slammed the door to preserve the win and pick up his season's third
save.
Eric Chrichton (3-0) picked
up the win, tossing 1.2 innings in relief of starter Taylor McIntyre. Valpo
reliever Derek Smith (0-1) suffered the loss.
Game two was dominated
by Ashman (5-1). The right-hander allowed an unearned run in the
first but settled down and dominated the Crusaders (6-20, 1-5) for
the game's remainder.
Down 1-0, the Golden
Eagles took the lead for good with a three-run third. Rothford
connected for a two-run double and Bouchie followed two batters
later with an RBI single to give ORU a 3-1 lead.
The Golden Eagles added
three more runs in the fourth. Minissale had a sacrifice fly for
the first run and Kahaulelio lined a two-run double for a 6-1
advantage.
Brian Aguailar lined an RBI
single in the sixth and Travis DeBondt did the same
in the seventh for an 8-1 lead.
Ashman allowed six hits
in seven innings, walking two and stiking out four. Valpo's Harvey
Yergin (0-6) suffered the defeat after allowing eight runs on 11
hits in 5.2 innings.
Kahaulelio had three
hits and six RBI in the doubleheader, while Carter McQuigg went 5-for-7
as part of a balanced attack.
The Golden Eagles and
Crusaders conclude their four-game series on Sunday witth a noon
doubleheader.
--ORU--
