MACOMB,
Ill. �€" Chad Rothford (Fresno,
Calif.) knocked in five runs with two home runs and a grand slam to
lead Oral Roberts University past Centenary, 20-0, in first round
action of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament, Thursday
afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
The
Golden Eagles pounded out 21 hits and belted six home runs on a
wind-blown day. Starter Chance Chapman (Paso
Robles, Calif.) pitched seven scoreless innings as the right-hander
improved to 8-1.
After a
scoreless first inning, ORU (38-15) posted seven runs in each the
second and the third en route to a 14-0 cushion for Chapman and the
ORU defense.
Adam Younger (Cape Coral, Fla.) hit the first of
six home runs off CC�€™s starter Brandon
Fulenchek (8-5) in the second with a three-run blast over the fence
in left-center. Younger�€™s blast knocked in
Carter McQuigg (Miami, Okla.) and David
Genao (Newark, N.J.). Brendan Duffy
(Glendale, Ariz.) followed Younger�€™s lead with
a solo shot to left field, the right-fielder�€™s
first home run this season. Jake Kahaulelio
(Windsor, Calif.) added a two-run home run and Rothford hit a solo
shot over the center field fence.
ORU
scored seven runs in the third inning, extending the lead to 14-0.
Duffy started the scoring in the third with an RBI double and then
was plated on an RBI single by Kelly Minissale
(Murphy, Texas). After the Golden Eagles loaded the bases, Rothford
belted his second home run of the game to right field. It was
Rothford�€™s first-multi-homer contest of the
season and fourth of his career.
Chapman
continued to keep the Gents scoreless over the next three innings
and ORU added a six-spot in the bottom of the seventh inning for a
20-0 lead.
Kahaulelio hit his second home run of the day on a towering solo
shot over the left field fence. The Golden Eagles scored five more
runs in the inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Minissale.
McQuigg, Genao, and Younger each added RBI singles in the
inning.
Chapman
was relieved after the seventh by Michael Jarman
(Stigler, Okla.). The senior completed his day with seven
strikeouts while scattering six hits.
Jarman
worked the final two innings, allowing one hit while walking two
and striking out two.
Rothford went 3-for-6 with five RBI and three runs scored,
Minissale was 4-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored,
Kahaulelio finished the day 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI
and three runs scored, while Younger went 3-for-5 with four RBI and
two runs scored.
ORU
returns to action tomorrow, playing Valparaiso at 1:15 p.m.
-ORU-
