Alva Review-Courier -

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Feb. 2, 2018) – Chad Kennedy's sizzling start to the baseball season continued, while Gabe Rodery's first pitching start of 2018 went rather well for the Oklahoma Christian left-hander on Friday night against No. 8-ranked Emporia State (Kan.).

Kennedy went 3 for 5, Jake Collins went 4 for 5 with a double and a triple and Rodery didn't allow an earned run over six innings as the Eagles won 8-3 at AirHogs Stadium.

Staked to an early lead, Rodery (1-0) struck out seven and allowed the Hornets only three hits. Despite a few shaky moments, the Eagles' bullpen took it from there to give the sophomore from Verdigris his first collegiate win as a starter. Rodery's six-inning stint was the longest of his OC career.

OC (1-1) jumped on Emporia State starter Tanne Cairns (0-1) for four hits in the first inning, including RBI singles by Kennedy (who is hitting .667 through two games) and Collins that gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead.

Emporia State (0-2) picked up an unearned run in the bottom of the first, but OC's lead grew to 4-1 in the fourth on a run-scoring triple by Brice Smith, who scored on a groundout by Callen Crockett. The Eagles took advantage of an Emporia State error to make it 5-1 in the fifth (chasing Cairns) and a triple by Collins in the seventh scored Kennedy, putting OC up 6-1.

Kade Shaffer's two-run double to right field in the seventh pulled the Hornets within 6-3, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple, ending the inning. Emporia State didn't manage another hit against OC relievers Conner Fryrear and Matthew Rackley, while the Eagles added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth.

OC will play Washburn (Kan.) on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the season-opening event being held at the stadium that hosted the 2017 NCAA Division II Championship tournament.