SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist finally yielded runs but punched its ticket to Mason, Ohio, and the NCCAA National Tournament with a 6-2 win Saturday over Oklahoma Wesleyan in the Central Region finals.
Alejandro Hernandez belted a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to end OBU's scoreless innings streak at 38.2.
Carson McPherson (6-3) got the win, going 7.2 innings, striking out 10 and allowing one run. Brad Adams yielded one run in picking up his third save.
OBU scored twice in the first inning on an RBI triple by Ryan Joyce and an RBI single by Felipe Gonzalez.
The Bison made it 3-0 in the third on Dustyn Cook's first home run of the season.
Hunter Heath singled in a run for a 4-0 lead in the fifth.
In the bottom of the eighth, OBU answered OWU's two runs with two of their own with an RBI double by Joyce and an RBI single by Joseph Moran.
OBU had 13 hits in the game, including three by Joyce and two each by Brandon Cuddy, Gonzalez and Kyle Abblitt.
OBU improved to 37-15 on the season.
The Bison are expected to be the top seed in the upcoming NCCAA nationals. The eight-team tournament starts pool play Wednesday, continuing Thursday and Friday with the semifinals set for Friday evening. The championship game is Saturday.
