Box Score | Video | Season Stats | 2018 Schedule

The Basics
Score: Central Arkansas 3 – Oral Roberts 4
Records: UCA (2-5) – ORU (5-1)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)

TULSA, Okla. – Cal Hernandez hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Oral Roberts baseball team a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over Central Arkansas Wednesday afternoon at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

The Golden Eagles rallied back from an early three-run deficit and used a shut-down effort from their bullpen and clutch hitting to improve to 5-1 on the young season. Relievers Colton Larkins, Cadon Owens, Tanner Rogen and Kyler Stout combined to hold the Bears to one hit in the final 5.2 innings without allowing a run giving the offense a chance for the comeback.

ORU scored once in the seventh to tie the game on a RBI single off the bat of Jared Montoya and Hernandez tallied the eventual winning run on his first home run of the year in the eighth.

Stout closed the contest by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth for his third save of the campaign.

Quote of the Day

"That was the highlight of the game for me. A guy that doesn't have an at-bat on the year, comes in in a crucial situation, down a run, and gets a bunt on the ground a makes it look extremely easy. Great job by Alex and again that was the highlight of the day for me." – Head Coach Ryan Folmar

Turning Point

A pinch-hit, sacrifice bunt from Alex Schmitz moved Jack Rosenberg into scoring position following a lead-off single in the seventh trailing by a run. Rosenberg sprinted home from second to even the score, 3-3, as Montoya pulled a RBI single to left. That turned momentum in ORU's favor and set up Hernandez for the game-winning home run.

Inside the Box Score
- Hernandez launched his second career home run in the eighth, and first as a right-handed hitter, after a double in the fifth. He finished the day 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored.

- Spencer Henson stayed red hot at the plate totaling three singles in a 3-for-4 effort and scored a run.

- Riley Keizor got the Golden Eagles on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth as he belted a two-run home run into left field, his first home run since joining the team.

- ORU's defense turned three, inning-ending double plays in the first, third and seventh innings as Nick Roark and Montoya made plays up the middle.

- Golden Eagles' starting pitcher Taylor Varnell surrendered three runs, one earned, in 3.1 innings during his season debut. The senior struck out three and gave up six hits.

- ORU improved to 3-0 on the year when trailing after six innings.

Up Next

ORU continues its extended homestand with a non-conference series over the weekend against SIUE March 2-4. Catch all the action live on the ORU Sports Network starting with game one at 3 p.m. Friday.

For the latest information on ORU Baseball, follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading two mobile apps, ORU Golden Eagles Live and ORU Front Row, available on the App Store and Google Play.

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