TULSA –-
Kyle Price went 3-for-5 with three runs and three
RBI to lead Oral Roberts University to a 10-4 victory over Western
Illinois to complete the four-game sweep, Sunday at J.L. Johnson
Stadium.
With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 29-8 on the year and
11-1 in The Summit League. WIU fell to 10-23 overall and 4-9 in
league action. ORU won their 13th consecutive decision at home and
are now 19-1 in Tulsa.
Along with Price's three hit performance, Brendan
Duffy,
Kelly Minissale and Ryan
Groth all recorded three hits. Ben
Petralli extended his season-long hitting streak to 15 games
with a 1-for-5 day at the plate.
For the first time in the weekend, Western Illinois grabbed an
early lead by plating a run in the top of the second for a 1-0
edge.
However, ORU knotted the score at 1-all in the bottom of the third
when Minissale brought Price around with an RBI single.
The Golden Eagles poured on four runs on WIU's starter Ben
Percival (1-5) in the fourth. With one out on the board, Groth and
David Genao recorded back-to-back singles then Juan
Martinez reached on a bunt single, scoring Groth for a 2-1
lead. Price followed with a two-run double to the gap in left
center and he eventually scored ORU's fifth run on a Western
Illinois throwing error after a Duffy single.
ORU starter
Mark Serrano (2-1) kept the Leathernecks offense
at bay as the right-hander just allowed one more run by WIU in the
sixth before being relieved by Andre
Lamontagne.
ORU increased their lead to 10-2 with a five-run sixth inning.
Price, Minissale, Petralli and Martinez all collected RBI in the
frame.
Percival allowed 10 runs – nine earned – on 13 hits in
5-plus innings of work in the loss for the Leathernecks.
Serrano lasted six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while
striking out four in his first start since March 15.
Lamontagne produced a solid effort in relief by just allowing one
run in 2.1 innings of work. Jameson
Dunn closed out the game for the Golden Eagles by getting the
last two WIU outs.
ORU returns to action on Tuesday, traveling to Springfield, Mo. to
battle Missouri State at 7 p.m.
--ORU--
