From ORU Sports Info.
Tim McCaughan, Media Relations Assistant
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The top-seeded Oral Roberts baseball team defeated South Dakota State, 9-3 Thursday night at Sioux Falls Stadium to advance to the Championship game of The Summit League Tournament.
After falling behind early for the second-consecutive game, the Golden Eagles tied the game in the fourth and opened the game up completely in the seventh when they scored six runs, all coming with two outs.
ORU took the fight out of the Jackrabbits in the seventh after Derrian James delivered a gem to the plate to pick off Cody Sharrow who tried to score from third after tagging up. It was one of two double plays the Golden Eagles recorded on the night.
Matt Brandy, Anthony Sequeira and Audie Afenir each finished with two RBI apiece while the trio went for two hits each. Dean Wilson also had two hits for the Golden Eagles.
Xavier Altamirano went two and two-third innings for ORU to start but was replaced by Leary who went three innings and allowed only three hits in relief. Picking up the win was Hayden Holley who improved to 4-0 on the season.
Individual Leaders
– Brandy, Sequeira, Afenir and Wilson each finished with two hits.
– Holley went three innings and did not allow a hit.
– Brandy, Sequeira, Cummings and Wilson each had a double.
– Whatley rounded the bases to score twice for the Golden Eagles.
– Brandy increased his reached base streak to 15 games.
Inside the Box Score
– ORU moves to 51-2 all-time in The Summit League Tournament.
– It marks the 20th time in program history that the team has earned 40 wins. Last was in 2008 (48-14).
– The Golden Eagles scored five of their runs with two outs.
– Of the team’s 13 hits, five came in the seventh inning when the Golden Eagles scored six runs.
– ORU has won 30 of their last 34 games dating back to March 20.
Scoring Summary
– Reid Clary belted a two-run homer out to left field to put the Jacks ahead in the first inning. He drove in Luke Ringhofer who singled through the right side with two outs.
– Sequeira tied the game at two with a bases loaded two-run double in the fourth.
– Chase Stafford singled through the left side in the fifth, scoring Logan Domenico to give ORU a 3-2 lead.
– SDSU’s Matt Johnson pulled the Jacks back even after he singled to right field, scoring Clary who led the inning off with a triple.
– Wilson drove a ball deep to right field for a double, scoring Noah Cummings giving ORU the 4-3 lead in the seventh.
– Matt Brandy doubled to left scoring both Stafford and Wilson to increase the ORU lead to 6-3.
– Audi Afenir singled through the right side to plate Brandy and Whatley pushing the lead to 8-3.
– Cummings capped off the seventh inning with a one-run double down the left field line.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles will take on either IPFW or South Dakota State in The Summit League Championship game on Saturday at noon. Both IPFW and SDSU play an elimination game Friday at 5 p.m.