CLAREMORE, Okla. (April 28, 2017) – Needing three wins this weekend to keep themselves alive for a potential spot in the Heartland Conference baseball tournament, the Oklahoma Christian Eagles took care of what they could on Friday afternoon.

Dalton Rentz pitched OC to a 3-1 win over Rogers State in a series opener and Jake Collins and Kolton Brown slugged the Eagles to an 11-7 decision in the second game at the Diamond Sports Complex.

OC (28-20, 13-10 Heartland) is in three-way fight for the final spot in the four-team conference tournament with St. Edward's (Texas) (27-18, 11-10) and Rogers State (30-16, 10-10). The Eagles will need to complete the series sweep on Sunday against the Hillcats, then hope that Oklahoma Panhandle State can steal a game next week at St. Edward's.

In the opener, Rentz (9-3) was his usual dominant self, allowing the Hillcats only six hits. Rogers State's only run came in the third, when the Hillcats had half of their hits, including a run-scoring single to center field by Matt Suebert. That tied the game at 1-1, as OC had scored in the top of the third when Hayden Strobel singled home Jake Baxter.

OC left the bases loaded in the fourth, but the Eagles broke through in the fifth against Rogers State starter Tim Luce (6-5). Garrett Wages hit a leadoff double to left-center field and scored on a single by Josh Garbrecht. Strobel, who had reached on a fielder's choice, later came on a double-play grounder by Lane Paul.

Collins went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and Brown went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a home run in the second game as the Eagles seized a huge lead, then held off a ninth-inning rally by the Hillcats. OC pitcher Mason McAlister (7-3) continued his recent solid pitching, going seven innings and striking out five batters.

OC jumped on RSU starter Spencer Bivens (8-3) for two runs in the first inning and another in the third, with Collins driving home a run each time.

The Hillcats left the bases loaded against McAlister in the fourth and OC followed with a five-run fifth-inning outburst to make it 8-0. Chad Kennedy hit a two-run double to center field before Collins delivered a run-scoring single up the middle and Brown smashed a two-run homer (his team-high seventh of the season) over the left-field wall.

Brown added a two-run single in the seventh to extend OC's lead to 10-1. The Eagles led 11-2 before Rogers State put together a five-run ninth inning against the OC bullpen, but right-hander Garett Hill came on to record the final two outs to seal the win for the Eagles.

It is the fifth straight season in which OC has taken the season series from Rogers State.