The Basics
Games 13-15
Oral Roberts (5-7, 0-0) vs. Arkansas State (11-3, 0-0)
Dates: March 6, 6:00 PM | March 7, 2:00 PM | March 8, 1:00 PM
Location: Chapman Park (Tulsa, OK)
Live Stats: ORU Athletics
Video: Summit League Network | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
 
TULSA, Oklahoma – After a 10-game road stretch, the Oral Roberts baseball team is set to return to Chapman Park for a three-game series against Arkansas State beginning Friday, March 6.
 
Fans can watch the action live on the Summit League Network or follow updates on X at @ORUBASE.
 
Last Time Out:
The Golden Eagles are coming off a 10-2 loss at #6 Arkansas on Tuesday.
 
Makani Tanaka led the team with two hits in four at-bats with an RBI, never striking out against the Hogs. Redshirt sophomore Kole Dudding was the other Golden Eagle to drive in a run, hitting a pinch-hit home run more than 400 feet over the left-field wall for his first hit of the season.
 
Senior Keaton Ruthardt (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Oral Roberts (5-7). Junior Braydon Sanford was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going 1.1 shutout innings while allowing one hit, walking none, and striking out three.
 
Pitching Matchup:  
Friday Game 1: RHP Easton Teel (1-1 / 5.40 ERA / 13.1 IP) vs. LHP Chase Richter (2-1 / 3.00 ERA / 15.0 IP)
Saturday Game 2: RHP Nathan Love (1-1 / 5.68 ERA / 12.2 IP) vs. LHP Jack Nelson (1-0 / 1.13 ERA / 16.0 IP)
Sunday: RHP Conner Johnson (1-0 / 5.54 ERA / 13.0 IP) vs. LHP Dylan Farley (2-0 / 2.57 ERA / 14.0 IP)
 
Inside the Series:
Having not played in 25 years, the Golden Eagles hold a 3-1 all-time series record over Arkansas State. The two last met in Arlington in 2001, with ORU winning 17-7.
 
Scouting the Opponent:
Arkansas State is currently on a five-game winning streak and holds an 11-3 record. The Red Wolves recently defeated Louisiana Tech in two midweek games.
 
A-State currently ranks 13th in the country and leads the Sun Belt Conference with a 2.81 team ERA. Their 2.96 walks allowed per nine innings also lead the SBC and rank 15th nationally. They have turned 12 double plays this season, good for 22nd in the nation.
 
Jack Nelson leads the team and ranks eighth in the conference with a 1.13 ERA, while Chase Richter's 9.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.20 walks per nine innings rank fifth in the Sun Belt. Cooper Garrison ranks seventh in the nation with seven appearances this season, throwing 10.1 innings and earning one win and a save.
 
Offensively, the Red Wolves have a .285 batting average with 134 hits on the season (27th nationally), including 32 doubles (15th nationally), five triples (17th nationally), and 22 home runs (16th nationally).
 
Patrick Engskov and Ashton Quiller are tied for third in the Sun Belt, each tallying 20 hits on the season. The two also rank third in the conference and 39th nationally with six doubles.
 
Lane Walton, a sophomore infielder, currently leads the country with three triples this season. His eight home runs rank fourth in the nation, averaging 0.57 home runs per game, while his 54 total bases rank second overall. Walton has driven in 23 runs this season, ranking fifth in the country.
 
Head coach Mike Silva has built a 135-102 career record, including a 37-31 mark in his second season with the Red Wolves.
 
Leading Off with Tanaka:
As the Golden Eagles settle into the 2026 roster, senior outfielder Makani Tanaka has found himself at the top of the lineup for ORU, batting leadoff in the last five games after opening the season in the five-hole. Transferring from Saddleback College ahead of the 2025 season, Tanaka has cemented himself in the ORU batting order and leads the team with a .519 on-base percentage.
 
Last week, Tanaka led the team over four games, batting .412 with seven hits in 17 at-bats, including three multi-hit performances. Tanaka had five extra-base hits across the four games– three doubles, a triple and a 402-foot home run to left-center that gave the Golden Eagles the advantage over Air Force.
 
 
For the latest information on ORU Baseball, follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com.