Hot-hitting Bison roll to win over Eagles in OC home opener
February 9, 2018
OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 8, 2018) – It really didn't matter who was pitching for Oklahoma Christian on Thursday against Oklahoma Baptist – OBU hitters just had their way against the Eagles.
The Bison rolled up 23 hits, overcoming an early deficit and cruising to a 14-8 win over the Eagles in OC's 2018 baseball home opener at Dobson Field.
OBU (4-0) – considered to be one of the best teams in the Great American Conference – had five players with three or more hits against OC (1-4). The Bison were led by Juan Gonzalez, who went 6-for-6 with a home run, and Zane Gelphman, who doubled and hit a pair of solo home runs – all in the first four innings. Gonzalez set a single-game school record with his six hits.
OC led 2-1 after Jake Collins hit a run-scoring double to right-center field in the bottom of the first inning, but things quickly turned south for the Eagles in the top of the third, as OBU exploded for five runs, including Gelphman's first home run, off OC starter Mason McAlister (0-2).
After a four-run Bison fourth inning, OBU led 11-3 and forced the Eagles to try to play catch-up. The Eagles did manage two runs each in both the eighth and ninth innings to make the final score more respectable.
Collins, a senior from Ada, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, including a leadoff home run in the fourth inning. Chad Kennedy, a senior from Hooker who is the reigning Heartland Conference hitter of the week, went 1-for-3 with three RBIs.
OBU starter Albertus Barber (2-0) struck out seven batters in five innings to pick up the pitching win.
The teams will play a doubleheader in Shawnee starting at 2 p.m. Friday.
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