The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 10 – North Dakota State 4
Records: ORU (23-12, 8-2), North Dakota State (21-13, 9-4)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Win: Evan Kowalski (4-1) | Loss: Max Loven (5-3) | Save: Kaleb McCullough (4)
 
TULSA, Okla. – Jackson Loftin plated a game-high three runs and the Oral Roberts baseball team ran their win streak to six games as they took the series opener over Summit League foe North Dakota State, 10-4, Friday night at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
 
Evan Kowalski picked up his fourth win of the 2022 campaign after working six innings and allowing four runs. The junior struck out four Bison in the victory, matching his season-high. In relief, Kaleb McCullough earned his fourth save of the season after striking out four over three innings of work.
 
The Golden Eagles jumped on top early, striking for three runs in the first. Jake McMurray led off the frame with a base-hit up the middle and later came around to score the game's first run on a Caleb Denny RBI single. A sacrifice fly by Loftin plated Mac McCroskey and an RBI double by Holden Breeze scored Denny to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Three more runs crossed the plate for ORU in the second as the lead grew to 6-0. Following a McMurray sacrifice fly, McCroskey launched his third home run of the season over the left-field wall to up the advantage to 5-0. After Denny reached on a double, Loftin scored the redshirt sophomore with a single up the middle.
 
North Dakota State cut into the ORU lead, 6-4, with four runs in the top of the third, but the Golden Eagles quickly answered in the bottom half of the frame.
 
A two-run double down the left-field line by Connor Beichler extended the ORU advantage to 8-4. The redshirt sophomore later crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Denny to make it 9-4, Golden Eagles.
 
The Bison threatened in the seventh as they loaded the bases with no outs, forcing ORU to turn to the strong arm of Kaleb McCullough out of the bullpen. The senior retired the next two batters swinging and forced a fielder's choice for the final out to escape the inning with no damage.
 
Loftin plated the final run of the night in the eighth as the redshirt junior ripped a single over the third-baseman's head to score McMurray as ORU went on to win 10-4.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Eight of the nine Golden Eagle batters collected a hit.
- Beichler, Denny, Alec Jones, Loftin and McCroskey each registered multiple hits in the win.
- Loftin matched his season-high with three RBIs after finishing 2-for-4 at the dish.
- The redshirt junior also swiped his team-leading 16th bag of the year.
- McCroskey went 2-for-3 on the night with a game-best two walks, a home run and a stolen base.
- The Springdale, Arkansas, native has now reached base safely in 15 straight games.
- Beichler and Denny each registered two RBIs in the win.
- Beichler stole second in the fifth for his eighth steal of the season.
- ORU logged five doubles in the win.
- Kowalski logged his fourth win of the season.
- McCullough is now a perfect 4-for-4 in save chances this year.
 
Notes
- Friday's series opener marked the 65th meeting all-time between the Golden Eagles and Bison.
- With the win, ORU now holds a 46-19 edge in the series and is 30-7 all-time at J.L. Johnson Stadium against NDSU.
- Head Coach Ryan Folmar is now 31-13 in his career against the Bison.
- McMurray logged his 500th career at-bat as a Golden Eagle in the win.
- With the victory, ORU now sits five away from 2,000 as a program.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles and Bison close out their series with a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon starting at 1 p.m. from J.L. Johnson Stadium.

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