WEATHERFORD – Down to its last strike, Oklahoma Baptist scored three times in the seventh to get a doubleheader split Saturday and hand Southwestern Oklahoma State its first series loss of the season.
The Bison lost the opener Saturday 5-1 before taking the series finale in dramatic fashion, 4-2.
Southwestern never trailed in the opener and led 5-0 before OBU broke up Greg Cook's shutout in the eighth inning on and Brandon Cuddy home run.
OBU had four hits, including two by Cuddy.
Carson McPherson (4-1) took his first loss of the season despite striking out seven batters in his six innings of work. Blake Whitehead and Trevor Ezell pitched a hitless frame each.
The Bison took their first lead of the day in the top of the first inning of the finale, getting an RBI single by Hunter Heath.
Southwestern took a 2-1 lead in the home half of the first inning and that score stood until the seventh.
With two outs and a runner at first, Kevin Olmeda whipped an 0-2 pitch for a single to move Cody Ziegler to second. Ziegler scored the tying run on Cuddy's RBI single to center and Ryan Joyce delivered the lead with a two-run double.
Nathan Thompson pitched six innings with six strikeouts to move to 3-2 on the season. Mike Gould struck out two in a perfect seventh inning for his first save of the season.
The Bison had 10 hits in the game, including three by Joyce and two each by Cuddy and Heath.
Now 22-7 on the season and 13-5 in the Great American Conference, the Bison moved ahead of the Bulldogs and into second in the league.
The win secures a place in the NCCAA postseason for the Bison.
OBU returns to action Tuesday at USAO in Chickasha for a 6 p.m. game.
