ORU Baseball Sweeps Omaha In Three-Game Series

The Oral Roberts baseball team took two games on Saturday to secure a three-game sweep of the visiting Omaha Mavericks. The Golden Eagles took game one 6-3, before winning the nightcap, 3-2. Coming into the series, UNO was just a game back of the Golden Eagles in the Summit League standings. 

Game 1

ORU struck for three runs in the bottom of the first thanks in part to a leadoff walk, followed by an error and a pair of base hits. Sophomore Noah Cummings drove in two runs on a single to center field before Brent Williams added to his team-leading RBI total after driving in Cummings later in the inning. 

The Mavericks (17-18, 8-7) answered with three runs of their own in the third inning to tie the game, connecting on four hits, including three consecutive to start the frame. 

Oral Roberts (23-12, 12-3) countered with two runs in the fourth as well as an insurance run in the sixth to clinch the game. Trevin Sonnier drew a two-out walk and Chase Stafford singled. That was when Nick Rotola picked up two of his three RBI on the day after doubling down the left field line to score the go-ahead runs. 

Claremore, Oklahoma native Matt Whatley led off the sixth with a home run to left field to push the Golden Eagles lead to 6-3. It was his sixth home run of the year and tied Williams for the team lead. 

Right-hander Nick Wood got the start for ORU and picked up the win for the home team, improving to 4-1 on the season after tossing six innings and striking out five.

Holden Cammack and Brady Womacks closed the door on the Mavericks by not allowing a hit in the final three innings of play. Cammack struck out two in two innings of work while Womacks threw six pitches in the ninth on his way to his seventh save of the year. 

Game 2

Timely hitting was the difference in the nightcap as Nick Roark and Whatley came up with clutch base hits to help Oral Roberts to its sixth straight win.

Trailing by one entering the fifth inning, Roark picked up his first hit of the afternoon on a leadoff triple to the left centerfield gap. It was just the team's fifth triple of the season. Cummings would later drive in Roar to tie the game at two on an RBI groundout.

Back-to-back base hits for the Golden Eagles in the seventh eventually led to the go-ahead run to score. Rotola, a Wichita, Kansas native, led off the inning with a double followed by a single by Roark. That led to Matt Whatley driving in what would be the game-winner as he singled through the left side for his second RBI of the day.

Freshman right-hander Josh McMinn earned his fourth victory of the season in relief after allowing one hit in four innings of work while striking out four. Second-year man Taylor Varnell picked up the no decision after allowing two runs in five innings and striking out five in the start. 

Notables

The Golden Eagles continued their dominance in the series, now winning all nine meetings between the programs. 

Rotola and Cummings each finished the day batting .571, going 4-for-7 with two doubles each to lead the Golden Eagles offensively.

Rotola (21), Whatley (19) and Williams (19) each extended their reached base streak during the doubleheader. 

Omaha's Grant Suponchick was the only Maverick to tally two hits in a game on the day. 

ORU outhit Omaha, 18-14 on the day. 

The Golden Eagles fought through five errors on the day, compared to UNO's two. 

Up Next

The Golden Eagles will play host to Missouri State on Tuesday at J.L. Johnson Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.