ORU Sports
Scott Slarks, Director of Media Relations
TULSA – Oral Roberts baseball used a walk-off, hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to close out a 1-0 victory over Western Illinois Sunday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
Dylan Snypes wore a 1-2 pitch on his back bringing home Trevor McCutchin from third base following a lead-off single. The Golden Eagles’ third extra-inning win of the year clinched their third Summit League series victory this season.
In what was a pitcher’s duel from the opening frame, the two starting pitchers both posted career-long outings, but unfortunately neither one factored into the decision exiting in the ninth inning. ORU’s Miguel Ausua threw 8.1 innings allowing five hits, while WIU’s Javin Drake scattered three hits over eight shutout frames.
“His (Miguel Ausua’s) command of three pitches, I thought that was crucial,” head coach Ryan Folmar said. “When our guys command the breaking ball, they’re extremely good and that’s what he did today. He had command of all three, throwing them in any count, and that was the difference. Miguel was really good, and Kyler was really good to finish it today.”
McCutchin got the first inning of free baseball started for ORU sending a single up the middle. Michael Hungate dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt moving the sophomore to scoring position before Cal Hernandez was intentionally walked. Sam Grellner was hit by a pitch on the hip to load the bases leading to Snypes’ game-winning RBI.
During Summit League play, Ausua has allowed just one run over 21.1 innings of work and pitched 13 consecutive scoreless innings. He lowered his earned run average to 2.35 overall and 0.42 in three conference appearances.
Kyler Stout recorded the final five outs and earned his second win of the year giving up two hits. He has now pitched multiple innings in all four of ORU’s extra-inning games.
Despite going hitless at the plate, Matt Whatley had a memorable performance behind the dish as the junior threw out all three WIU runners trying to steal second base. He has now thrown out 11 runners this season in 26 attempts.
Hungate extended his hitting streak to 16 games to match Snypes for the longest by a Golden Eagle hitter this season. He went 1-for-3 in the contest and was joined by Noah Cummings, McCutchin and Grellner with base hits for the Golden Eagles.
All 11 hits recorded Sunday went for a single as neither team registered an extra-base hits. The Leathernecks never had a runner reach third base, despite putting a base runner on second in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Golden Eagles begin a critical stretch of the season as 18 of their final 26 games will be played away from home starting Tuesday night against nationally-ranked Oklahoma. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. with a potential for storms in the Norman area.