Big first inning leads ORU past Jacks

Sunday, March 20

Tulsa, Okla.

1:00 PM

South Dakota State University

3-15, 0

Oral Roberts

10-9, 0

South Dakota State

Oral Roberts

3/20/2016 7:43:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

TULSA, Okla. – For the second day in a row, Oral Roberts strung together a big first inning and went on to defeat South Dakota State, 9-1, in the decisive game of a three-game Summit League baseball series Sunday afternoon at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

After scoring four first-inning runs on Saturday, the Golden Eagles put a five-spot on the board in the opening frame on Sunday. All of ORU's runs came with two outs as the Golden Eagles tallied six consecutive hits, including a two-run double by designated hitter Sam Grellner, and RBI singles by Brent Williams, Noah Cummings and Trevin Sonnier. Another run scored on a balk.

Matt Whatley, who started the first-inning rally with a single, hit a solo home run with one out in the second inning to up the ORU lead to 6-0.

The Jackrabbits scored their lone run of the game in the fourth inning as Luke Ringhofer drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a groundout off the bat of Tony Kjolsing. SDSU threatened to further cut in the deficit in the fifth inning by loading the bases with one out, but a double play ended the hopes of a rally.

The Golden Eagles, 10-9 overall and 2-1 in The Summit League, put the game further out of reach with a two-run single by Nick Rotola in the home half of the fifth.

Five ORU pitchers combined to limit the Jackrabbits to three hits. Starter Taylor Varnell was removed from the game with two outs in the third inning due to an apparent injury after limiting SDSU to one hit while striking out three and walking one. Grant Glaze also pitched 2 2/3 inning of scoreless relief.

Cummings led the Golden Eagles' 13-hit attack by going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

Jackrabbit starter Ryan Froom struck out two, walked three and allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Newcomers Henry DeCaster and Chris Halbur combined to allow only one run over the final 3 2/3 innings.

SDSU, 3-16 overall and 1-2 in league play, returns to Summit League action with a three-game series March 25-27 at Western Illinois. Friday's series opener is slated for a 3 p.m. start in Macomb, Illinois.

ORAL ROBERTS 9, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 1
SDSU 000 100 000 1-3-1
ORU 510 021 00X 9-13-0
SDSU: Ryan Froom, Henry DeCaster (5), Chris Halbur (7) and Luke Ringhofer. ORU: Taylor Varnell, Josh McMinn (3), Grant Glaze (5), Trevor McCutchin (8), Nathan Garza (9) and Matt Whatley.
W-Varnell (2-0). L-Froom (0-4). Save-none.
HR: ORU-Matt Whatley (3).