The Basics
Score: South Alabama 7 – Oral Roberts 1
Records: USA (3-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) – ORU (1-4, 0-0 Summit League)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Box Score
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team allowed three runs in the first inning and could not recover falling to South Alabama in the opening game of a weekend series, 7-1, Friday evening at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
 
Caleb Denny broke the shutout lining a home run into the right-field bullpen putting the Golden Eagles on the board in the bottom of the ninth, but the damage had already been done.
 
The Jaguars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning taking advantage of three hits and a hit batter getting two RBI singles, including a two-run single with two outs. ORU starting pitcher James Notary (0-1) settled in after the first frame and retired 16 of the next 20 batters he faced and didn't allow a USA runner past second base.
 
The Golden Eagles had back-to-back singles with two outs in the third inning by Anthony Martinez and Joshua Cox, but a fly ball ended the threat as the tying run was at the plate. Jake McMurray drew a lead-off walk in the fourth as ORU threatened again thanks to a one-out, Jaguar error only to strand both runners.
 
Neither team generated much at the plate over the next three innings until USA scored four times in the seventh with three hits for a 7-0 advantage. Denny finally put the Golden Eagles on the board lining a 1-0 pitch into the ORU bullpen before the visitors closed the game, 7-1.
 
Turning Point
The Golden Eagles were one pitch away from escaping a first-inning jam already trailing 1-0. A two-out, two-run single off the end of the bat for USA quickly stretched that one-run lead into three and ORU was not able to overcome the deficit.
 
Inside the Box Score 
- Martinez and McMurray each reached base two times hitting singles to go with a walk.
-  Denny launched his third home run of the season, all of which have been solo shots.
- Isaac Coffey had a pinch-hit double in the ninth inning with two outs following a walk to Brody Gibson.
- The Golden Eagles drew six walks in the contest coming from six different players.
- Brett Gregory struck out four batters in 2.2 innings from the bullpen.
 
Up Next
ORU closes the weekend series against USA in a doubleheader Saturday afternoon starting at 12 p.m. inside J.L. Johnson Stadium live on the ORU Sports Network. The game was moved up from its originally scheduled time due to potential weather.
 
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 the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.