TULSA�€"Daniel Greenwalt and
Tournament MVP Sean
Jarrett combined on a three-hitter in leading Oral Roberts
University to a 2-0 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament title game
victory over Western
Illinois, Saturday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
The tournament title is
the ninth straight for the Golden Eagles (38-14) and advances ORU
to the NCAA Tournament for the 18th time in school
history.
Greenwalt (6-2) locked
horns in a pitching duel with
Western Illinois right-hander Ryan Schmidgall (5-5). The duo
combined to put up zeros through the first five innings, each
working out of several jams. Both benefited a 20-plus mile per hour
wind blowing straight in from center field.
Greenwalt allowed a
runner to reach base in every inning he pitched. In the first, he
surrendered back-to-back one-out singles but got out of the inning
when Joe Pacyga grounded into a double play.
In the third, a one-out
walk by Steve Knapp was erased when Knapp was caught attempting to
steal second base. Matt Newquist lined a two-out double down the
left-field line in the fourth, but Nick Simmons grounded out to end
the threat.
It was much of the same
for ORU against Schmidgall, who went the distance for the
Leathernecks (32-32).
The Golden Eagles
loaded the bases with two outs in the first but Kelly Minissale popped up
to end the threat.
Andy Bouchie led off the
fourth with a single but after Chad Rothford struck out
Minissale lined into a double play.
The Golden Eagles
finally broke through in the sixth. Bouchie drew a one-out walk and
advanced to second on a single by Rothford. Minissale followed by
lining Schmidgall's 1-2 pitch down the right-field line for an RBI
double and a 1-0 lead.
With the slimmest of
leads in hand, ORU head coach Rob Walton turned it over
to closer Sean
Jarrett in the top of the seventh. Jarrett responded by
retiring the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings.
ORU �€"
batting as the visiting team �€" scored an insurance
run in the top of the ninth thanks to Western's defense. Travis DeBondt
reached on a one-out error by second baseman Mike Triumph, and
moved to second on a ground out by Brendan Duffy. DeBondt
scored to make it 2-0 when shortstop Kelly Flanery dropped a pop up
by Tim Torres.
A 2-0 lead was more
than enough for Jarrett. He retired the Leathernecks in order in
the ninth to secure another conference title for the Golden
Eagles.
Greenwalt earned the
win by tossing six shutout innings, allowing three hits, three
walks and three strikeouts. Jarrett fanned three batters during his
stint.
Bouchie was the only
player with more than one hit, going 2-for-2 with a run scored.
ORU learns its NCAA
Regional fate when pairings are announced at 11:30 a.m. Monday on
ESPN.
--ORU�€"
All
Tournament Team
Kevin Carkeek-OU
Brandon
Fulencheck-CC
Jimmy Baker-CC
Jon Paul Shore-WIU
Chris Ashman-ORU
Ryan Schmidgall-WIU
Pat Warfle-ORU
Kyle Crepeau-OU
Rob Johnson-WIU
Brendan Duffy-ORU
Dan Greenwalt-ORU
Andy Bouchie-ORU
Travis Check-WIU
Sean Jarrett-ORU
MVP
