May 27, 2008

(Box Score)

LEWISTON, Idaho - Kirk Walker went 4-for-6 with two RBI and David Dennis drove in three runs to help No. 2 Oklahoma City University defeat Embry-Riddle (Fla.) University 11-6 in a loser-out contest at the 52nd annual Avista NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Tuesday.

The Stars, 57-11, collected 16 hits in the game, but unlike its previous games when it used their big bats to produce runs, the Stars relied more on manufacturing runs. The Stars had 13 singles in the contest and scored three runs through sacrifice flies and two on wild pitches. Those plays helped OCU break a 2-2 tie with four runs in the fifth inning and four more in the seventh to keep its title hopes alive.

The No. 2 seed in the 10-team double-elimination tournament has now scored 26 runs and collected 41 hits in its three ballgames.

Embry-Riddle, the No. 6 seed, finishes it season at 44-18. The Eagles managed to respond early to each Stars' attack, but couldn't collect the big hit in the final three innings when needed.

OCU is one of four teams left in the tournament and will face Lee University on Wednesday at either 3 or 7 p.m. PST. Lee played Lewis-Clark State late Tuesday night in a battle of the only undefeated teams left in the tournament. The LCSC-Lee winner will play in the 7 p.m. game on Wednesday, while the loser will play at 3 p.m. LCSC will face Spring Arbor in Wednesday's other contest.

Against Embry-Riddle, the Stars had plenty of pop through the lineup. The Nos. 1-4 hitters combined for nine hits, four runs scored and six RBI, while B.J. Wheeler, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI.

The two teams exchanged runs in the first and fourth innings for a 2-2 tie. Dennis had an RBI sacrifice fly and Landon Camp had an RBI double for OCU's two runs, while Kyle Albright accounted for both of the Eagles' runs with a sacrifice fly in the first and a solo home run, his 14th homer of the season, in the fourth. Albright finished 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.

OCU then broke loose for four runs in the fifth. Wheeler started the rally with a solo home run on the first pitch to left field, while Walker and Dennis added RBI singles. A wild pitch brought in the final run.

After Tommy Cauley's RBI single made it 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth, Dennis hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 7-3.

Again, the Eagles rallied with three runs in the bottom of the inning when Brandon Roper-Hubbert blasted a three-run home run, his fourth of the season, to make it 7-6.

OCU, however, again answered with a big four-run inning. Four consecutive singles drove in the first run, while a wild pitch and sacrifice fly brought in the next two. The final run scored on a single by Walker.

Despite going down in order in the seventh, Embry-Riddle put two runners on in each of the last two innings, but failed to score.

David Odquist, the first of four OCU pitchers, went 5.1 innings and allowed five hits and five runs to pick up the win and improve to 12-2 on the season. He walked two and struck out four. The final three pitchers combined to allow only four hits and one run with three strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings.

Embry-Riddle starter John Keravich took the loss to fall to 6-4. He allowed nine hits and six runs in four innings.