The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 26 – Northern Colorado 6
Records: ORU (25-14, 9-4), Northern Colorado (10-29, 6-10)
Location: Greeley, Colo. (Jackson Field)
Win: Evan Kowalski (5-1) | Loss: Ian Torpey (2-4)
 
GREELEY, Colo. – Jackson Loftin and Mac McCroskey combined to drive in nine runs as the Oral Roberts baseball team run-ruled Summit League foe Northern Colorado, 26-6, in seven innings Friday afternoon from Jackson Field. 

The 26 runs are the most ORU has scored in a single game since 2010. In their program history, the Golden Eagles have now totaled at least 20 runs 42 times. ORU's 25 hits were also the most in a single game since 2010.

In the win, 13 different Golden Eagles recorded a hit and six tallied a multi-hit performance. Loftin and McCroskey led ORU with four hits apiece, setting new career-highs for the middle infielders. Loftin also plated a career-best five RBIs in the victory,  while McCroskey matched his season-high with four.

Brody Gibson reached base four times and logged three hits, both of which were new career marks for the senior. The Claremore, Oklahoma, native also drove in two runs in the win.

Evan Kowalski improved to 5-1 on the season after working five innings and striking out six. 

The Golden Eagles struck first in the opening frame as Loftin plated Caleb Denny with an RBI single to left to make it 1-0, ORU.

An RBI double by Jake McMurray followed by an RBI single from McCroskey stretched the advantage to 3-0 in the second.

A solo home run by Josh Glenn cut the Golden Eagle lead to 3-1 in the bottom half of the frame.

ORU answered with a seven-run third inning, highlighted by a two-run homer from Joshua Cox. In the frame, Holden Breeze, Cox, McCroskey and Loftin all drove in runs for the Golden Eagles as the lead bloomed to 10-1.

The Bears got a run back in the bottom half of the inning, 10-2, on an RBI single through the left side.

In the fourth, ORU hung another crooked number as the Golden Eagles pushed across nine runs to stretch the lead to 19-2. The nine runs are the most ORU has scored in a single inning this season. Connor Beichler, McMurray, McCroskey, Denny, Loftin, Justin Quinn, Breeze and Gibson all registered an RBI in the frame.

Loftin plated the 20th run of the game for ORU on an RBI single through the left side in the fifth. An RBI single by Tanner Lindsly followed by a two-run double by Blake Shannon increased the advantage to 23-2. Shannon scored the final run of the frame as the senior crossed the plate on a wild pitch. 

Northern Colorado plated two in the bottom of the fifth to trim the deficit to 24-5.

An RBI double by AJ Archambo and an RBI groundout from Lindsly in the sixth capped the scoring for the Golden Eagles as they held a 26-5 lead. 

A sacrifice fly by Cade Moeller in the bottom half of the frame closed the book on the scoring as ORU went on to win 26-6 in the series opener.

Inside the Box Score
- Thirteen different Golden Eagles registered a hit in the win.
- Loftin (4), McCroskey (4), McMurray (3), Gibson (3), Quinn (2) and Breeze (2) each tallied multi-hit performances.
- For Loftin, the multi-hit performance was his seventh straight.
- The redshirt junior also extended his hitting streak to 11 games and plated a season-best five runs.
- McCroskey set a new career-high for hits with four and matched his season-high for RBIs with four.
- The Springdale, Arkansas, native also crossed the plate a season-best four times.
- Gibson finished the afternoon with three hits and three runs scored, both of which were new career marks.
- McMurray scored his 100th career run in the win and finished with a season-best four.
- Cox launched his third home run of the season in the win.
- Dylan Criquet Danielson registered his first career hit as a Golden Eagle in the win.
- ORU totaled 26 runs on 25 hits, both of which were the most by the Golden Eagles in a single game since 2010.
- Kowalski allowed five runs over five innings of work and struck out six.
- Foster Roy gave up a run and struck out one in one inning on the mound.
- Brooks Fowler pitched a scoreless seventh to finish off the win.
 
Notes
- Friday's series opener marked the eighth meeting all-time and first since 1981 between the Golden Eagles and Bears.
- With the win, ORU is now a perfect 8-0 in the series and has outscored Northern Colorado 90-23.
- The contest marked the first meeting between the two sides in Greeley, Colorado.

Up Next
Game two between the Golden Eagles and Bears is slated for Saturday at 1 p.m.

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