The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 13 – South Dakota State 5
Records: ORU (35-17, 17-6), South Dakota State (21-21, 12-9)
Location: Brookings, S.D. (Erv Huether Field)
Win: Ledgend Smith (7-4) | Loss: Owen Bishop (4-4)
 
BROOKINGS, S.D. – The Oral Roberts baseball team claimed their fourth straight series Friday afternoon as they rolled past South Dakota State, 13-5, in Summit League action at Erv Huether Field. 

Trailing 4-2 in the fifth, the Golden Eagles plated four runs in the frame to retake the lead for good. Jackson Loftin capped off the big inning with a two-run blast to center, marking his 10th homer of the season.

Legend Smith improved to 7-4 on the mound after striking out seven over five innings of one-run baseball in relief. The relief appearance was the first of the season for the redshirt senior. 

Five different Golden Eagles recorded a multi-hit performance, led by Jake McMurray (3-for-5) and Joshua Cox (3-for-5). McMurray plated a game-best three runs, while Cox and Loftin each totaled two.

After the Jackrabbits struck first with a sacrifice fly in the first, Cox evened the score, 1-1, with an RBI double to left-center in the second. 

In the fourth, Justin Quinn gave ORU their first lead, 2-1, of the afternoon as the junior plated Caleb Denny with an RBI single. 

SDSU responded in the bottom half of the frame with three runs to jump back in front 4-2. 

The Golden Eagles answered with four runs in the fifth to reclaim the lead, 6-4, which they never relinquished. A wild pitch allowed Alec Jones, who reached on a leadoff walk, to cross the plate for the first run of the frame. Following a sacrifice fly from Denny, Loftin put the finishing touches on the inning with a two-run blast to center.

ORU's offense continued to roll in the sixth as Cox scored Breeze once again on an RBI double to left to make it 7-4, Golden Eagles. The senior later came around to score on a McMurray RBI single, extending the lead to 8-4.

In the eighth, ORU had five runners cross the plate as their lead jumped to 13-5. Two of the five runs in the frame came around to score on an error, while McMurray totaled two RBIs and McCroskey registered one. 

Derek Hackman accounted for the final run of the contest with a solo shot in the bottom half of the eighth as ORU went on to win, 13-5.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Five different Golden Eagles recorded a multi-hit performance. 
- Cox and McMurray each totaled a game-high three hits.
- Breeze, Denny and McCroskey registered two hits apiece.
- Denny has now reached base safely in 21 straight games.
- McMurray plated a game-high three runs in the victory.
- Cox drove in two runs for the second straight contest.
- The senior is now 7-for-10 at the dish in the last two games.
- Cox also totaled three doubles in the win, marking the first time an ORU player has accomplished the feat since Andrew Pace in 2018.
- Breeze matched his season-high for runs scored with three in the win.
- Isaac Coffey got the start for ORU, allowing four runs, three earned, in 4.0 innings of work 
- Smith struck out seven in five innings of work to record the win.

Notes
- With the win, ORU improved to 69-19 all-time against SDSU. 
- On the season, the Golden Eagles are now 5-0 against the Jackrabbits.
- Head Coach Ryan Folmar is now 41-11 in his tenure against SDSU.
- On the road trip, ORU is now 4-2.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles will go for the series sweep tomorrow in the final game of the regular season. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

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.