EMPORIA, Kan. – Kade Self's two-run triple in the ninth erased a one-run deficit as Oklahoma Baptist won 10-5 over Emporia State on Tuesday at Glennen Field.
After a strong start which included a homer from
Jose Parga and two-run single by
Dan Pruitt, the host Hornets scored five of the next six runs to attain a 5-4 lead.
Four of those Emporia runs came via homer. The last of those bombs was delivered in the eighth inning from Sawyer Sladen. A lead-off dinger in that frame pushed the Hornets back in front, 5-4, leaving OBU three outs away from defeat.
But as they have done numerous times this season, the Bison offense brought the team back.
In the top of the ninth, with
Walker Keller and Pruitt occupying the base paths, Self went first-pitch swinging and connected to right center. That triple by Self, his second of the year, pushed the Bison back in front, 6-5.
OBU added four more runs after that.
Ramon Gomez and
Troy Shields tallied run-scoring singles before
Cade Kissel drove in a pair on a double down the left-field line. That hit, OBU's 11th of the game, moved the scoreboard to 10-5.
Defensively, the Bison got some key outs from pitchers
Myles Corrigan and
Devin Crawford. In the sixth, Corrigan induced a pop out of Sam Chaput when the Hornets had bases loaded. Then in the seventh, with the score tied at 4-4, Crawford entered and got three straight outs after the hosts had the bases juiced.
Crawford ended up getting the win as he tossed three frames, struck out five and allowed one run.
Next on the schedule for OBU is its last GAC home series. This coming weekend, Southern Nazarene will pay a visit to Bobby Cox Field at Ford Park starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
