ORU Uses Extra Innings To Top Arkansas-Little Rock

It was nearly a home run derby Tuesday night in Little Rock as the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles narrowly outlasted Arkansas-Little Rock 6-5.

The Golden Eagles tallied three two-run home runs, while the Trojans had three homers on the night.

The runs began in the bottom of the second as the second batter, Sean Bignall, smacked a home run to left center to break the silence and give Arkansas-Little Rock a 1-0 lead.

The Golden Eagles answered in the top of the third as Kevin Cho knocked a leadoff single up the middle, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Jared Schlehuber belted a two-run homer to left field taking over with a 2-1 advantage.

Later in the fourth, Cho once again singled up the middle for ORU and Brandon King followed with a two-run shot to right field that gave the Golden Eagles a 4-1 lead.

The Trojans added a run in the bottom of the frame with two outs as Nick Roundtree managed a home run to left center cutting the lead to 4-2.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth. With two on and two out, Bignall doubled down the left field line to bring in two runners and tie the game at 4-all.

In the extra innings, ORU was up first and wasted no time. Schlehuber drew a walk, then Jose Trevino smashed a home run over the left field wall that scored two runners to make it 6-4.

John Clark, the first Arkansas-Pine Bluff player to the plate in the bottom of the frame, stepped up and lifted a long-ball also to left for the Trojans third homerun of the game and cut the score to 6-5.

But that would be all she wrote for the game full of home runs as the Golden Eagles closed out the bottom of the 10th with a strikeout to take the 6-5 victory.

Schlehuber, King and Trevino all hit the two-run home runs for ORU. Each of them had two hits and two RBI on the night.

Cameron Bentley paced the hitting for the Trojans with three hits.

Oral Roberts' Matt Rush went the distance pitching 8.2 innings with 10 strikeouts while he allowed 10 hits and two runs.

The Golden Eagles now prepare for a three game series against Oakland. Their next contest comes Friday April 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Tulsa.