The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 21 – St. Thomas 2
Records: ORU (12-8), St. Thomas (1-11)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Win: Harley Gollert (3-0) | Loss: Jacob Mrosko (0-2)
 
TULSA, Okla. – Behind four home runs, the Oral Roberts baseball team run-ruled St. Thomas, 21-2, in seven innings Saturday afternoon from J.L. Johnson Stadium. With the win, the Golden Eagles claimed the series against the Tommies.

Harley Gollert improved to 3-0 on the year after throwing five innings of two-run baseball and striking out five. In relief, Dalton Patten and Price Allman each tossed a scoreless frame.

Jonah Cox once again paced the offensive attack for the Golden Eagles as the junior finished a home run shy of the cycle after going 4-for-5 at the dish. The multi-hit performance was Cox's fourth straight and team-leading 13th of the season. Right-fielder Matt Hogan continued his hot streak with a 3-for-4 day at the plate to go along with a homer and four RBIs. In four games this week, Hogan has recorded three home runs and 15 RBIs.

On the afternoon, 11 different Golden Eagles recorded a hit and 12 reached base safely.

After the Tommies opened the scoring in the second behind a two-run homer to right-center, ORU responded in the bottom half of the frame with six runs to jump in front, 6-2. Sam Thompson jumpstarted the big inning with a solo blast to right-center, marking the second homer of the season for the redshirt junior. Two walks followed by a single from Jake McMurray loaded the bases for Mac McCroskey, who evened the game with an RBI single to center.

The ensuing batter, Cox, cleared the bases with a three-run triple to right-center to give ORU a 5-2 lead. Cox later came around to score the final run of the inning on a Hogan sacrifice fly to right. 

In the third, Blaze Brothers added to the Golden Eagle advantage, 7-2, with a solo homer to left. The long ball was Brothers' fourth of the season.

ORU's offense continued to roll in the fourth as Hogan followed a Cox leadoff double with a two-run homer off the scoreboard in right-center. Following an RBI single off the bat of Garrett Casey, the first of his Golden Eagle career, ORU's lead grew to 12-2 courtesy of a two-run single from McMurray. 

In the fifth, the Golden Eagles plated seven runs, highlighted by a Preston Baumgartner grand slam, to stretch their advantage to 19-2. The homer was the first of Baumgartner's career at ORU. In the frame, Hogan, Thompson and Drew Stahl each tallied an RBI single. 

The Golden Eagles tacked on their 20th and 21st runs of the afternoon in the sixth behind RBI singles from Baumgartner and McCroskey.

Inside the Box Score
- ORU tallied a season-best 24 hits on the day.
- 11 different Golden Eagles recorded a hit and 12 reached base safely on the afternoon.
- The Golden Eagles launched four homers and totaled seven extra-base hits in the win
- Seven different ORU players registered a multi-hit performance.
- Six different Golden Eagles logged a multi-RBI performance.
- Cox led all players with four hits and logged his seventh double and fourth triple of the season.
- Hogan, McMurray, Stahl and Thompson each totaled three hits on the day.
- Baumgartner and McCroskey recorded two hits apiece on the afternoon.
- Thompson scored a game-best four runs.
- Baumgartner plated a career-high and game-best five runs. 
- Stahl swiped his fourth base of the season.
- As a staff, the Golden Eagles struck out six.

Notes
- With the win, ORU claimed the series against the Tommies.
- The Golden Eagles are now 4-1 all-time against St. Thomas and have outscored the Tommies, 45-4, in their last three meetings.
- ORU's 21 runs were a season-high and the most it has scored in a regular season contest at J.L. Johnson Stadium since 2019.
- Cox has now recorded a hit in 19 of the 20 contests this season and leads the team with 13 multi-hit games.
- In his last four contests, Cox is 13-for-20 (.650) with 11 RBIs. 
- Hogan blasted his eighth home run of the season and logged his eighth multi-RBI performance, both of which lead the Golden Eagles.
- Baumgartner launched his first ORU home run and plated a career-best five runs. 
- Dylan Wipperman recorded his first hit as a Golden Eagle.
- Stahl extended his on-base streak to 18 games. 
- Brothers pushed his on-base streak to 12 games.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles will go for the series sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. from J.L. Johnson Stadium.

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