TULSA, Okla. -
Western Illinois Baseball jumped out to an early lead, but Oral Roberts erupted
for nine runs in the fifth inning and completed the four-game sweep with a 14-4
win Sunday afternoon (April 25) in eight innings. The Leathernecks (9-28
overall, 2-10 Summit League) dropped their sixth straight.
Bryan Jordan led off
the game with a double and took third on Cole Waddell's bunt single. He would steal home for the game's first run. Later
in the inning Waddell stole second base and advanced to third thanks to a
throwing error. Rich Mascheri reached
on a two-out infield single which plated Waddell for a 2-0 lead.
ORU (22-17, 10-2) scored three times in the third inning,
two coming off the bat of Nick Baligod's home run. The Leathernecks responded
in their half of the fifth to regain the lead.
Chris Giglio lined
a single to leadoff. He took second on a passed ball, then third on a sacrifice
bunt by Jared Depenbrock. Jordan walked
and stole second base. Waddell followed with a 2-run single and a 4-3 lead.
The Golden Eagles sent 13 batters to the plate in the fifth
to put the game out of reach. ORU loaded the bases with one out then Seth
Furmanek cleared the bases with a grand slam, his 11th home run of the season.
Colby Price added a 2-run double, then a passed ball, groundout and single
ended the scoring for a 12-4 lead.
The game ended in the eighth inning via the 10-run rule when
Tyler Saladino launched a 2-run homer, his 10th of the year, to complete the
sweep for ORU.
Travis Pedersen (0-2)
made his second straight collegiate start but was charged for the loss after
allowing four runs on five hits in four innings. Austin Brough, the fourth relief pitcher for Western in the fifth
inning, went the final 2.2 innings. He allowed two earned runs on two hits and
struck out one.
Waddell, Mascheri and Giglio had two hits apiece for the
Leathernecks. Jordan stole two bases and scored twice. Western's defense played
error-free ball.
Jeff Burleson (5-2) gave up four runs on eight hits in 7.1
innings. He struck out nine and walked two. Saladino and Baligod had three hits
apiece for ORU, which out-hit Western 12-9.
Western returns to Boyer Stadium on Wednesday (April 28) to
play host to Clarke College, a make-up game from earlier this month. First
pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game can be heard for free on Rocky
Vision with the Leatherneck Sports Network.
