TULSA,
Okla. �€" Brian Van Kirk (Southwest
Ranches, Fla.) hit a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom
of the seventh as Oral Roberts University defeated Missouri State,
7-4, on Wednesday afternoon at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
ORU
(5-8) jumped out to a 2-0 lead off of MSU�€™s
starter Pat Doyle in the bottom half of the first. Brenden
Duffy (Glendale, Ariz) got things going for the Golden
Eagles with a single to lead off the inning. Chad
Rothford (Fresno, Calif.) hit his fourth home run of the
year to plate Duffy.
Missouri State (4-5) responded with a Brayde Drake homer to
straight-away center in the top of the second inning for a 2-1 ORU
lead.
ORU�€™s starter Jerry Sullivan
(Budd Lake, N.J.) got into trouble in the top of the fourth.
MSU�€™s Kyle Paul doubled to left field and
scored on a Drake single. Ben Carlson hit a home run over the left
field fence for the 4-2 Missouri State lead. All three runs came
with two outs.
The
lead would not last long though as the Golden Eagles scored two
runs in the bottom half of the inning. Marcus
Tackett (Tulsa, Okla.) reached base on a
fielder�€™s choice and was followed up by a
Stephen Pearson (Petaluma, Calif.) single. Tackett
and Pearson advanced to third and second base respectively on a
passed ball. Tackett scored when Carter
McQuigg�€™s (Miami, Okla.) grounder to
third was misplayed allowing him to be safe at first. Pat
Warfle (Melbourne, Fla.) scored Pearson with a sacrifice
fly to center field.
The
next two innings were scoreless. Jeremy Hefner (Stigler, Okla.)
relieved Erik Crichton (Seal Beach, Calif.) in the sixth and struck
out four batters in 2.0 innings of work. Hefner struck out the side
in the seventh.
The
Golden Eagles struck in the bottom of the seventh. Jake
Kahaulelio (Windsor, Calif.) led off with a free pass to
first on a walk and advanced to third after a double to the gap in
left field by Rothford. Missouri State brought in Buddy Baumann in
relief but Van Kirk homered to center field for a 7-4 ORU lead.
Missouri State threatened in the top of the ninth loading the bases
with only one out. ORU�€™s reliever
Chance Chapman (Paso Robles, Calif.) sealed the
deal though; striking out Nolan Keane and then forcing Kyle Paul to
pop out to shallow right field.
The
Golden Eagles are now 4-0 at J.L. Johnson Stadium this season and
have won 13 straight carrying over from last year.
Van
Kirk finished 2-for-2 with a single, a home run, three walks, and
three RBI. Warfle, Rothford, and Pearson also produced multi-hit
games for ORU with two hits each.
Hefner
earned his first win of the year as MSU�€™s Buddy
Baumann got the loss.
ORU
returns to action with a three-game home set against Central
Arkansas this weekend. The series opener is at 3:00 p.m. on Friday
at J.L. Johnson Stadium
-ORU-
