MACOMB,
Ill. �€" Jeremy Hefner (Perkins,
Okla.) allowed two runs in his fifth career-game this season as
Oral Roberts University rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat
Valparaiso, 4-2, on Friday afternoon at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.
With the win, the Golden Eagles advance to the Mid-Continent
Conference Championship game tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.
ORU won
their 15th straight and for the 25th time in
the last 26 contests to improve to 39-15 overall while Valparaiso
fell to 22-33.
Both
starters cruised through the first three innings as Hefner (9-1)
faced the minimum until the fourth when Valpo had their first two
runners reach base.
The
Crusaders took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Jason
Brunelli�€™s two-out triple to left center.
ORU
rallied in the top of the sixth, posting three runs off
Valpo�€™s starter Nick Mazzone (4-7) to take a
3-2 lead. Younger and Brendan Duffy (Glendale,
Ariz.) led off the inning with consecutive singles. Tyler
Warmerdam (Lodi, Calif.), who replaced Kahaulelio in the
bottom of the fourth after Kahaulelio was ejected, singled in
Younger to get the Golden Eagles on the board. ORU tied it at 2-2
on a Chad Rothford (Fresno, Calif.) RBI single to
left field.
Pat Warfle (Melbourne, Fla.) put the Golden Eagles
on top for good in the sixth, reaching on a fielders choice.
Hefner
kept the Crusaders scoreless the rest of the way as the
right-hander struck out seven while scattering six hits.
ORU
padded their margin to two in the eighth when Brian Van
Kirk (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) doubled to center field,
scoring Warmerdam.
Younger
went 3-for-4 and one run as nine Golden Eagles recorded hits. ORU
out hit Valpo 12-6 and improved to 35-0 when out hitting their
opponent.
ORU
will face the winner of Valparaiso and Centenary tomorrow at 11:30
a.m. in the Championship Game.
ORU
