The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 6 – Western Illinois 4
Records: ORU (19-12, 5-2), Western Illinois (4-26, 2-8)
Location: Macomb, Ill. (Alfred D. Boyer Stadium)
Win: Evan Kowalski (3-1) | Loss: Jace Warkentien (1-5) | Save: Kaleb McCullough (3)
  
MACOMB, Ill. – The Oral Roberts baseball team picked up their second straight win Friday afternoon as they took game one against Western Illinois, 6-4, in their 2022 Summit League road opener at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium in Macomb, Illinois.

The victory marked No. 300 of Head Coach Ryan Folmar's career. Folmar, who is in his 10th season with ORU, became the fourth coach in program history to reach 300 wins, joining Larry Cochell, Rob Walton and Sunny Golloway.
 
On the mound, Evan Kowalski improved to 3-1 on the season after tossing 5.1 innings, allowing three runs and striking out three. In relief, Kaleb McCullough picked up the save, his third of the year, after working a career-high 3.2 innings and registering three punchouts. 

Western Illinois opened the scoring in the second as an RBI fielder's choice by Adam Juran made it 1-0.

The Golden Eagles responded in the top of the third with five runs on six hits to take the lead, which they never relinquished.

Jake McMurray plated Connor Beichler, who led off the frame with a double, to even the contest at 1-1. The junior later came around to score on an error by the Western Illinois right-fielder, giving the Golden Eagles a 2-1 advantage. Back-to-back RBI singles from Jackson Loftin and AJ Archambo pushed the lead to 4-1. Archambo later crossed the plate for the fifth and final run of the frame on a throwing error by the Leatherneck third baseman.

In the fifth, Loftin increased the lead, 6-2, with a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Caleb Denny. 

The Leathernecks added a run in the fifth and eighth, the second of which was unearned, to trim the ORU lead to 6-4.

McCullough slammed the door shut in the ninth with a one-two-three frame as the Golden Eagles went on to win the series opener, 6-4.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Eight of the nine Golden Eagles registered a hit, led by Beichler's 2-for-4 performance.
- Six different ORU players crossed the plate in the win.
- Loftin drove in a game-high two runs, while Archambo and McMurray each tallied an RBI.
- Kowalski earned the win after allowing three runs over 5.1 innings and striking out three.
- McCullough registered his third save of the year, tossing 3.2 innings, allowing one unearned run and striking out three.
 
Notes
- Friday's series opener marked the 103rd meeting all-time between ORU and the Leathernecks.
- With the win, the Golden Eagles now own a four-game win streak in the series and improve to 85-18 all-time against Western Illinois.
- On the road, ORU is now 33-15 all-time in Macomb.
- Folmar improves to 28-11 in his career against the Leathernecks.
- The Golden Eagles' skipper became the fourth coach in program history to reach 300 wins. 
- Friday's contest marked the 2022 Summit League road opener for ORU.
- The victory moved the Golden Eagles to 6-4 on the road this season. 

Up Next
The Golden Eagles and Leathernecks conclude their three-game set with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.

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