Box Score The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 9 – No. 12 Texas Tech 7 (11 innings)
Records: ORU 10-8 – Texas Tech 14-6
Location: Rip Griffin Park / Lubbock, Texas
LUBBOCK, Texas – After falling behind 6-0 early in the game, the Oral Roberts baseball team rallied and beat No. 12 Texas Tech 9-7 in 11 innings Tuesday night at Rip Griffin Park. It was ORU's second win over a Big 12 program this year, having topped OU 5-1 March 10.
The Golden Eagles used timely hitting and took advantage of two Red Raider errors in the 11th inning to grab the victory. ORU has now won four of its last five games and despite recent success against the Big 12 gave Coach Ryan Folmar his first victory over Texas Tech (0-4).
Matt Whatley had hits in each of his first three at bats, including a pair of doubles to start his day and scored twice, while Matt Brandy knocked in three Golden Eagles on a pair of hits. Derrian James helped the ORU rallies as well with three hits, an RBI and two runs scored as he rolled the lineup over from the nine spot.
It took seven pitchers to get the victory, with Nathan Garza, Kyler Stout, Hayden Holley (1-0) and Jacob McDavid each pitching one inning and combining to hold Texas Tech too just one hit in the final four innings of the game.
Cory Raley had three hits for Texas Tech, while Eric Gutierrez led the Red Raiders with four RBI.
Turning Point
Down 6-0 after four innings, the Golden Eagles rallied and scored seven unanswered runs over the next two innings, including five runs in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead.
Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: ORU got production from all over the lineup with all nine starters recording a hit, a run or an RBI. Matt Whatley and Derrian James each had three hits, while Matt Brandy had a team high three RBI.
Texas Tech: Cory Raley had three hits for Texas Tech, while Eric Gutierrez led the Red Raiders with four RBI.
Inside the Box Score
- The Golden Eagles scored five runs in the sixth inning, the second time this season ORU has scored five runs in an inning (at Louisiana Tech, March 1).
- Chase Stafford extended his on-base streak to 12 straight games with his RBI double in the 11th inning.
- ORU played an extra inning game for the first time this season, while Texas Tech need more than nine innings for the third time in the last four home games.
- The 16 hits tie the most by the Golden Eagles this season, having also reached that mark in a 13-3 victory over SIU Edwardsville.
- ORU had the leadoff man on, and had a man in scoring position, in three of the first four innings, but could not plate a run during that stretch.
Scoring Summary
- The Red Raiders put three on the board in the third inning with a pair of extra base hits. Michael Davis led off the inning with a single and came around to score on Stephen Smith's double into the gap. Smith in turn came around to score on a two-run home run by Eric Gutierrez.
- A passed ball came back to haunt ORU in the bottom of the fourth as Smith earned another RBI, scoring Nick Marshall, who advanced to third on the Golden Eagle miscue.
- Gutierrez earned two more RBI on a single to left, giving Texas Tech another three run inning and a 6-0 lead in the fourth.
- ORU finally got the rally it needed in the top of the fifth as Derrian James, Whatley and Noah Cummings each singled to load the bases with one out. Brandy came through with his first hit of the day, a two RBI double to left, to make it 6-2.
- Rolando Martinez led off the sixth with a single and after a pitching change, ORU got an RBI double from James and scored two more on a Tech error off the bat of Whatley to make it a 6-5 game.
- Brandy came through with another clutch hit to keep the sixth inning rally alive, putting an RBI single into right field to tie the game at 6-6, scoring Whatley.
- Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and then gave ORU its first lead of the game at 7-6, making it seven unanswered runs for the Golden Eagles.
- ORU's lead was short-lived as a sacrifice fly off the bat of Quinn Carpenter in the bottom of the sixth tied the game again at 7-7.
- After the flurry of scoring in the middle innings, the game remained tied into extra innings. In the 11th, ORU took advantage of Texas Tech miscues and struck for two runs. After a fielding error to start the inning, Audie Afenir laid down a sac bunt, but reached on another error by the Red Raider defense, putting runners on first and third.
- Rolando Martinez earned his third hit and second RBI of the day with a single down the line, and Chase Stafford followed with a double to left to put ORU up 9-7.
Up Next
The two teams will face off again Wednesday afternoon in Lubbock, Texas. First pitch from Rip Griffin Park is scheduled for 2 p.m.
For the latest information on ORU baseball, follow @ORUBaseball on Twitter or go to www.ORUAthletics.com.
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