MASON, Ohio – Blake Whitehead got his first win of the season and Oklahoma Baptist rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Hiwassee 6-3 Thursday.
Whitehead improved to 1-3 in just his second start of the season, going a personal best 7.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five batters.
"Blake did a great job today," said Bison Coach Bobby Cox. "It was his longest outing of the year and he did outstanding. It was tough conditions to score with the wind blowing in but the guys stayed with it. Offense has been real good with a good two-strike approach."
The win puts OBU at 40-15, gving the Bison their sixth consecutive 40-win season and the 16th overall. All 16 40-win seasons have been coached by Cox.
Hiwassee led 2-0 after three innings but Austin Whitaker tied the game with a two-run single in the fourth.
The game remained tied until Hunter Heath doubled in a run and ended a 0-12 drought by the top four hitters in the OBU lineup. Brandon Cuddy followed Heath with a two-run home run into the teeth of a strong wind blowing in from right, making it 5-2.
Cook produced an RBI grounder in the bottom of the eighth to make it 5-2.
Brad Adams picked up his fourth save of the season, relinquishing one run over 1.1 innings of work, while picking up two strikeouts.
OBU had eight hits in the game, including two by Whitaker.
The Bison improved to 3-0 in the pool and wrap up pool play with a game scheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday. Rain halted games shortly after the conclusion of the OBU win.
In the earlier Pool A game, Oakland City defeated Toccoa Falls, 5-3. Earlier in Pool B, Trinity Christian defeated Warner 4-3 and Bethesda led Campbellsville 5-2 in the eighth before hitting a rain delay.
OBU leads Pool A at 3-0. Oakland City is 2-1, Judson is 1-1 and Toccoa Falls and Hiwassee are 0-2. Pending the outcome of the second Pool B game, Campbellsville is 2-0, Bethesda is 1-0, Trinity Christian is 1-1, Warner is 1-2 and Southwestern Christian is 0-2.
