EMPORIA, Kan. – Oklahoma Baptist tallied a season-high nine home runs during its 23-17 triumph at Emporia State on Tuesday. That home-run total matched the best team effort in D2 program history, previously attained against Southern Nazarene on May 1, 2021.
Troy Shields had three homers while
Alex Schroeder and
Trey Furrey each recorded two. Plus,
Dan Pruitt and
Jayden Shafer added the others. For Pruitt, it was his 40th career long ball, making him just the second Bison player (Josh Collazo; 46; 2008-09) to ever attain that many.
A hot start propelled the Bison to victory. Heading to the bottom of the third, the green and gold led 15-5. Among the highlights, which included a seven-run second inning:
- A three-run shot by Pruitt in the second that erased a 5-2 deficit and gave the Bison the lead for good.
- Back-to-back-to-back homers from Schroeder, Shields and Furrey in the second.
- A two-out grand slam by Shields in the third which made the tally 15-5.
Emporia State did make things interesting in the fourth, though. Down by 10, the host Hornets reeled off five runs. Remarkably, there were no extra-base hits that frame for ESU, just four singles and three walks that led to those runs.
Despite the hosts pulling the contest close, the Bison bats stayed hot. In the fifth, another homer, this one off the bat of Furrey, and one that also scored
Kade Self and Pruitt, pushed the green and gold up to an 18-12 advantage.
The Hornets never really threatened again after that fifth-inning Furrey blast.
OBU's final homer of the day was delivered by Shafer. In the eighth, he lifted his fourth bomb of the year to right-center and pushed
Isiah Lissade across home.
On the mound,
Garrett Kellogg-Clarke got the win by tossing 3.2 innings, fanning seven and allowing four runs. Fellow senior
Will Duncan turned in a good appearance as he closed the last two innings and struck out three while allowing one run.
Tomorrow, the Bison will wrap up their trip with a 1 p.m. game against Newman.
