From OBU Sports Info.
Casady Fletcher, Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations
SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist pitcher Kelvin Rivas threw a no-hitter in game one of the opening day doubleheader against York (Neb.). The fourth-ranked Bison won the first game 12-0 and took game two 14-0 Friday afternoon.
Both games were scheduled seven-inning contests played at Bison Field at Ford Park.
Rivas struck out the side on two different occasions and finished with 10 total strike outs. He hit the leadoff batter in the fourth inning for the first baserunner allowed all game. The next batter reached on a fielder’s choice and was then picked off by Rivas.
The only other runner allowed on base for the Panthers came in the top of the seventh when Rivas walked a batter with two outs in the inning.
It was the second time Rivas has been involved in a no-hitter over the past two seasons. Last April he combined for a no-hitter on the road at Texas Wesleyan.
OBU’s offense remained quiet until the bottom of the sixth. The Bison brought 16 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs on 11 hits in the inning. Keach Ballard blasted a three-run home run and Garett Gallacher had a two RBI triple in the inning.
Tyler Melton finished two-for-three with three RBI, and Felipe Gonzalez and Joey Szczepanski each started the season with a three-hit game.
Kyle Fimbrez started game two for the Bison, pitching four innings while allowing just one hit to pick up the win. Chad Bennett pitched two innings and gave up one hit in relief, and Brad Adams threw a hitless seventh inning to close out the game.
After scoring three runs in the first, the Bison added six more in the second inning. Yariel Gonzalez hit a two-run home run to cap off a four-run fifth inning, and Shakeel Newton drove in Landon Coon in the sixth for the final run of the game.
Yariel and Coon each finished with three RBI, while Newton and Jeff Ricker drove in two runs each.
The Bison offense combined for a 26 runs on 31 hits in the two games, while the pitching staff allowed just two hits in 14 innings of work.
OBU, now 2-0, will wrap up the four game series against York with another doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bison Field.