McPherson No-Hits Rangers in Sweep

ALVA – Carson McPherson threw a historical no-hitter as Oklahoma Baptist swept Northwestern Oklahoma State Friday, 10-5 and 8-0.
 
McPherson, who was part of a staff no-hitter in the second game of the season, became the first Bison pitcher to be involved in two no-hitters in the same season. Joe Cunningham, who tossed no-hitters in 1981 and 1982 is the only other Bison to be involved in two.
 
"He was dialed in," said Coach Bobby Cox. "He looked like the old Carson and it was brutally cold. He had to sit through that first game in the cold. All of his pitches were working and he had great command."
 
McPherson narrowly missed a perfect game, allowing a walk in the fifth inning of the seven-inning game. Juan Gonzalez caught most of the game with Austin Whittaker behind the plate for the final out.
 
It is the 12^th no-hitter by the Bison all-time. It also is the seventh no-hitter in the Great American Conference – three of those are owned by the Bison, who also got a Nate Thompson no-hitter against McMurry last May. It is the third no-hitter registered in a game between two GAC teams and second in a conference game. OBU has the last three GAC no-hitters.
 
McPherson, Zach Fowler, Blake Whitehead, Jace Wilkins and Nick Burnham combined for a no-hitter this season against Baker.
 
McPherson (4-2) struck out 12 batters, including the last six in order. He also recorded five fly outs and four ground outs.
 
OBU got the only run it needed with an RBI double by Zane Gelphman in the first inning.
 
The Bison added four in the fourth on a Dustyn Cook fielder's choice, a two-run double by Kevin Olmeda and an RBI single by Gelphman.
 
Another three runs came across in the sixth on a two-run single by Olmeda, who scored on a single by Josh Timms.
 
OBU had all 10 of the game's hits, including three each by Brett Berghammer and Olmeda and two by Gelphman.
 
Tyler Gibson got the win in game one, going five innings with five strikeouts. Burnham and Brad Adams both posted scoreless innings and Fowler, in his first game back from injury, allowed one run in two innings.
 
The Bison scored twice in the second inning on an RBI double by Joe Moran and an RBI ground out by Cook.
 
Gelphman added an RBI single in the third for a 3-0 lead.
 
The Rangers scored four times in the fourth for a 4-3 edge, but OBU answered with three more in the top of the fifth on a passed ball, an RBI double by Gonzalez and a run-scoring single by Burnham.
 
Timms contributed a sacrifice fly in the sixth for a 7-4 lead. Gelphman did the same in the eighth for an 8-5 lead and Gonzalez singled in a pair of runs for the final 10-5 margin.
 
The Bison had a dozen hits, including three by Gonzalez and two each by Olmeda and Hunter Heath.
 
Due to possible rain, the teams have moved Saturday's game to an 11 a.m. start.