Eagles take series against Texas A&M International

In the opening game of a two-day set of doubleheaders, the Oklahoma Christian University baseball team took on Texas A&M International University and lost the first game 6-5 April 6.

The Eagles fell behind early as Texas A&M International jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning.

Senior Chad Kennedy put Oklahoma Christian on the board 3-1 in the second, followed by runs in the fifth inning by senior Kyle Bottger and junior Ryan Ward.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Dustdevils scored twice to reclaim the lead 5-3.

Junior Garrett Wages and freshman Julien Ly tied the game back up 5-5 in the sixth, but the Eagles gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh that ended the game, 5-6.

For five innings, junior Connor Litterell pitched for Oklahoma Christian. In those five innings, he gave up five runs and struck out three batters. Senior Matthew Fusselman (0-2) relieved him in the sixth, struck out two batters and gave up the game-winning run. Fusselman was credited with the loss.

In the second game, Oklahoma Christian put points on the board early and won the game, 10-5, to split the first doubleheader with Texas A&M International.

Senior Jake Collins scored the first point of the game giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead with an opening inning homerun.

The Dustdevils scored three runs in the bottom of the first but would not score again until the sixth.

Following Collins homerun to start the game, two other Eagles also hit homeruns give Oklahoma Christian the second game win. Bottger homered in the fourth inning and also scored senior Garrett Wages. Then, in the fifth inning, junior Brice Smith hit the Eagles third homerun of the day and also brought in Collins to bring the Eagles lead to 7-3.

Runs by Bottger, senior Hunter Markwardt, and senior Ryan Ward to increase the Eagles lead to 10.

Texas A&M International scored once in the sixth and again in the eighth, but the Eagles walked away with the victory, 10-5.

Senior Skyler Martin (4-2) started for the Eagles, giving up four runs and striking out three batters. He was relieved by senior Luke Reynolds, who struck out one batter and allowed a run. Reynolds recorded his first save of the season.

On the second day of doubleheaders against the Dustdevils, Oklahoma Christian took a 2-1 series lead with a 4-0 victory in the first game April 7.

Every run in the game happened in the top of the fourth. Kennedy, and senior Kolton Brown and juniors Alex Garcia and Callen Crockett scored four runs in that inning to win the game.

Sophomore Gabe Rodery (3-2) pitched all seven innings, giving up just four hits and striking out six batters as he held the Dustdevils scoreless.

The Eagles earned a 6-1 win and a 3-1 series victory in the fourth and final game of the series.

Crockett and Markwardt gave Oklahoma Christian a 2-0 lead after the top of the third inning, followed by the Dustdevils scoring their only run of the game in the same inning.

Garcia and Markwardt pushed the lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning. Crockett and Bottger recorded runs in the sixth inning to give the Eagles a five-run lead and the win 6-1.

Freshman Robbie Suhr (4-2) pitched eight innings, giving up just one run and striking out four batters. He was relieved in the ninth by senior Garett Hill.

Following their four-game stint in Laredo, TX, the Eagles traveled to Bethany, OK to play a single game against longtime rival Southern Nazarene University April 10.

Oklahoma Christian jumped out to an early lead on their way to a 16-2 win.

In the first inning alone, Bottger, Ward, Smith, Garcia, Wages and Brown all scored to give the Eagles a 7-0 advantage.

The Crimson Storm scored once in the bottom of the first inning but did not score again until the seventh inning.

Brown, Ly and Wages recorded runs in the third inning, putting Oklahoma Christian up 10-1.

In each of the next three innings, a different Eagle hit a homerun. Ly hit one in the fourth and scored Garcia, Bottger recorded one in the fifth and brought sophomore Drew Wright in and senior Matthew Foster hit a solo-homer in the sixth to push the lead to 16-1.

Junior Michael Basler (1-1) pitched four innings, giving up one run and two strikeouts. He was relieved by three Eagles who each pitched one inning.

The Eagles will play at home against Newman University in a set of back-to-back doubleheaders. The games start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. April 13 and 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. April 14.