The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 6 – Tarleton 5
Records: ORU (7-2), Tarleton (6-3)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Win: Joshua Caravalho (1-1) | Loss: Cris Enriquez (1-1) | Save: Dalton Patten (2)
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team staved off a late rally as they picked up their third straight win with a 6-5 victory over Tarleton Wednesday afternoon at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

Joshua Caravalho tossed 5.2 innings of one-hit baseball and struck out four en route to his first win of the 2023 campaign. In relief, Dalton Patten recorded his second save of the season after allowing one run in 1.2 innings of work. 

After Caravalho set the Texans down in order in the opening frame, the Golden Eagles struck first with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Mac McCroskey started the frame with a bunt single and later advanced to third on a double steal with Jonah Cox, who reached on a walk. The two came across to score on back-to-back RBI groundouts from Jake McMurray and Holden Breeze.

In the second, McCroskey ripped an RBI double down the left-field line to extend the lead to 3-0. Two innings later, Cox registered an RBI ground-rule double that plated Preston Baumgartner, who made his first career start as a Golden Eagle. 

Blaze Brothers added two more runs to the ORU advantage, 6-0, with a two-run line drive homer over the right-field wall. The homer was Brothers' second in the last three games. 

In the sixth, the Texans broke up Caravalho's no-hitter with a single to center but were held scoreless as Caleb Isaacs, who entered the game in relief, registered a strikeout looking to end the frame.

Tarleton broke through on the scoreboard in the seventh with a solo home run to trim the lead to 6-1. The Texans plated three more runs in the eighth courtesy of an RBI double and a two-run homer as ORU's lead dwindled to 6-4. In the ninth, Tarleton drew within one, 6-5, and brought the go-ahead run to the plate but a lineout to Drew Stahl at second ended the threat as ORU held on to win, 6-5.

Inside the Box Score
- McCroskey and Stahl each registered two hits on the afternoon to lead ORU.
- Seven different Golden Eagles tallied a hit on the day.
- Baumgartner registered a game-best three walks.
- Cox and McCroskey each swiped their third bag of the season in the first.
- Cox's double was his team-leading fifth of the season.
- In relief, Isaacs allowed one run over 1.1 innings on the bump.

Notes
- The midweek matchup marked the first meeting all-time between the two programs. 
- ORU will make a return trip to Tarleton on March 14.
- With a 2-for-5 day at the plate, McCroskey extended his on-base streak to 31 consecutive games, dating back to last season.
- McCroskey's multi-hit game was his fourth of the season and 27th of his career.
- Ryan Blackwell and Baumgartner each made their first starts as a Golden Eagle.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles remain home at J.L. Johnson Stadium for a three-game set against Stephen F. Austin March 3-5. 

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