Tulsa, Okla. - Oral Roberts scored seven unearned runs in the eighth inning to break open a tight contest as the Golden Eagles claimed a 12-4 victory over the University of North Dakota baseball team on Friday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
The Fighting Sioux (1-10) rallied twice from a pair of three-run deficits to pull within a run and had the potential game-tying run thrown out at the plate inthe top of the eighth inning before ORU (8-10) put the game out of reach in the eighth.
“We give up one big inning a game it seems and that is really taking its toll on us,”UND head coach Jeff Dodson said. “It happened again tonight, but eventually, we have to quit giving those up because we are really close to breaking through and getting a big win.”
Junior Jake Magner (Grand Rapids, Minn.) flirted with a grand slam in the sixth, but settledfor a sacrifice fly after his blast on a 3-1 pitch by starter Drew Bowen was hauled in at the wall. Bowen pitched well for the Golden Eagles, retiring 12 straight to open the game before getting wild in the fifth and sixth innings.
Bowen walked three in the sixth and the Sioux managed a pair of runs without the aidof hit to make the score 3-2. The Golden Eagles got those two runs back after left fielder Chris Elder, who robbed Magner of his home run earlier in the frame, laced a two-run double in the home half.
UND starter Derek Biermaier (Roseau, Minn.) kept the visitors in it, allowing fiveruns (three earned) on eight hits, while striking out five before yielding Elder's double.
Left-hander Brandon Baumgartner (Coon Rapids, Minn.) was effective in relief for the Sioux,allowing only a walk in two innings of work.
“We got another great start from Biermaier and Baumgartner threw the best he had all season,” Dodson said. “We just got into a flow offensively too late in this one.”
Senior Jabby Bakhit (Omaha, Neb.) and junior Josh Lagein (Devils Lake, N.D.) each had RBI singles for the Sioux in a two-run seventh inning that got the UND bats on track.
The Sioux then strung together three consecutive singles to start the eighth inning, but ORU right fielder Nick Baligod threw out Ridge Halenar (Payson,Ariz.) on a bang-bang play at the plate when he tried to score on a single by Josh Ray (Yucaipa, Calif.).
ORU reliever Mark Grant settled down after that to retire the next two UND batters and end the threat with the home team still in the lead by one.
After pinch hitter Jared Schlehuber reached on a fielding error to start the eighth inning and pinch runner Justin Mitchell moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, the Golden Eagles were clearly playing for an insurance run. However, after a walk and a fly out, the ORU offense came to life and the Golden Eagles strung together six consecutive hits to break the game open.
Designated hitter Robert Barbosa delivered the big blow after an infield single by TylerSalidino kept the inning alive when he cleared the bases with a double off the left field wall.
The Sioux and Golden Eagles will resume the series with a single game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
-- Go Sioux --
