MACOMB, Ill.-Weather and field preparation delays did in Oral
Roberts in a Summit League series-opening loss at Western Illinois,
Friday at Boyer Stadium.
With the Leathernecks (10-22 overall, 2-3 Summit) leading 3-2 in
the middle of the seventh, the game was halted at 5:01 p.m. due to
heavy rains and lightning. Following a 56 minute weather delay, the
three-man ground crew needed an additional 1:06 to prepare the
unlit field for play.
The game finally resumed at 7:03 p.m. in the bottom of the
seventh, and in the top of the eighth ORU (15-12, 4-1) took a 5-3
lead on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and a two-run single from T.J.
Bennett. But with one out in the bottom of the eighth, umpires
called the game due to darkness and the win was awarded to Western
Illinois because the eighth inning was not completed. The score
reverted back to the last full inning of play - the seventh - thus
giving the Leathernecks a 3-2 victory.
The Leathernecks took an early 2-0 lead thanks to shaky defense and
pitching by the Golden Eagles.
Tom Lilja led off the second inning with a single for the
Leathernecks, and ORU shortstop Cam
Schiller threw away a sacrifice bunt attempt by Austin Cowen,
putting runners at second and third. Danny Marcuzo followed with an
RBI single to give the Leathernecks a 1-0 lead. Anthony Kaskadden
added to Western's lead with an RBI groundout.
ORU bounced right back and tied the game in the top of the third.
Brett
Sowers reached on an error to start the inning, and Bennett
Pickar followed by drawing a walk. Joey
Winiecki beat out a sacrifice bunt and WIU third baseman
Marcuzzo overthrew first, allowing Sowers to score to get ORU
within 2-1.
Brandon
King plated Pickar with a sacrifice fly, tying the game at
2-2.
Western regained the lead at 3-2 on a sacrifice fly by Matt Igara
in the fifth.
Despite taking the loss Drew
Bowen (1-1) was solid in his third start of the season,
allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings. The right-hander
allowed five hits and struck out five.
The Golden Eagles and Leathernecks resume their four-game series
with a doubleheader at noon on Saturday.
--ORU--
