TULSA�€"Bethune-Cookman's 1-thru-6 six hitters
combined to go 11-for-24 with 11 RBI as the Wildcats salvaged the
final game of a three-game series with a 14-1 win over Oral Roberts
University, Sunday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
The two teams traded
runs in the early going, with each scoring at least one run in
either half of the game's first three inning. The Wildcats (15-19)
gained a permanent edge in he fourth and blew the game open in the
sixth.
With the game tied 5-5
in the top of the fourth, B-CC scored three runs. Nine-hole batter
Jose Almonte plated the first run with an RBI single and Alejandro
Jimenez knocked in two more with a single three batters later to
give the Wildcats an 8-5 edge.
Chad Rothford blasted the
first of his two home runs in the bottom of the fifth to bring ORU
(13-12) within 8-6, but the Wildcats exploded in the top of the
sixth inning, scoring six runs on five hits, two walks and an error
for a 14-6 lead. Jose Ortiz hit a solo home run, and Nabil Sagbini
had a two-run single to highlight the inning for the Wildcats.
After Bethune-Cookman's
outburst, ORU chipped away at the lead. Carter McQuigg led off the
bottom of the sixth with a double and scored on a triple by Brendan Duffy.
Tim Torres
followed with an RBI single to make it 14-8.
ORU scored two more
runs in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to a two-out error and a
wild pitch, making it 14-10.
But ORU's ninth-inning
rally fell just short.
Rothford led off the inning with a solo home run, and McQuigg and
Duffy collected two-out singles to bring the tying run to the
plate. But Colin Irvine chased down Torres's liner to left-center
field to end the game.
Caleb Rodgers (0-1) took
the loss for ORU, allowing four runs on five hits in his 1.2
innings of relief work. Francisco Rodriguez (4-1) received the
winning decision for the Wildcats, despite allowing eight runs on
12 hits in six innings.
Rothford led ORU's
18-hit offensive effort, going 5-for-5 with three RBI and three
runs scored. Duffy was 4-for-6 and McQuigg was 3-for-5. Torres and
Andy Bouchie
each had two hits.
Chris Henault paced
B-CC with a 3-for-5 day. Lead-off hitter Ortiz was 2-for-3 with
four runs scored and an RBI and Jimenez went 2-for-5 with five
RBI.
The Golden Eagles
return to action when they face Oklahoma State, 7 p.m., Tuesday at
Drillers Stadium.
--ORU--
