ORU Sports
Scott Slarks, Director of Media Relations
BROOKINGS, S.D. – The Oral Roberts baseball team launched four home runs in a 14-5 victory at South Dakota State to close the Summit League series win Sunday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.
Trevor McCutchin broke the game open with a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning as the Golden Eagles scored six in the frame. Noah Cummings and Brent Williams went back-to-back with long balls in the first inning setting the tone early in a five-run opener for ORU.
The Jackrabbits scored twice in the second and third closing the gap to one, 5-4, as the game turned tense until the Golden Eagles regained control in the seventh. Sam Grellner padded the lead hitting a three-run home run in the top of the ninth.
ORU’s pitching staff had to battle throughout the afternoon as SDSU reached double-digit hits, but were limited to five runs leaving 13 runners stranded.
“We found a way to win two out of three games in a conference weekend on the road,” head coach Ryan Folmar said. “It was a good first inning, but we got lost in those middle innings and we have to figure out what is going on there. Moving forward, we know we need to play a little better and a little cleaner.”
With momentum slowly going the way of the home side, the Golden Eagles broke open a one-run game posting six runs in the top of the seventh to secure the series victory. Nick Roark walked and Cal Hernandez dropped a perfect bunt single to start, while Cummings and Williams delivered RBI singles before Michael Hungate walked to load the bases for McCutchin. The sophomore was looking for a first-pitch fastball and connected with the first ORU grand slam since Apr. 15, 2015, when Audie Afenir did it at Oklahoma State.
Cummings and Williams got the offense started hitting back-to-back blasts, the fourth time for ORU this year, as it sent 11 batters to the plate in the opening inning. Roark and Hernandez ripped singles before Cummings’ conference-best 11th home run and Williams followed with his 10th of the season. The pair later added back-to-back RBI singles getting the scoring going in the seventh.