Oral Roberts Avoids Elimination with Walk-Off Home Run

The Golden Eagles' bats were big yet again as they continue their NCAA Tournament run.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:46 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Jun 5, 2010 5:20 PM CDT

More Norman Regional baseball coverage from Oklahoma Sports
- Oral Roberts Avoids Elimination with Walk-Off Home Run
- Unlikely Hero Comes up Clutch for Golden Eagles
- Oklahoma Tops North Carolina in Dramatic Fashion
- Golloway's Faith Rewarded in Win over Tar Heels

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- After blowing two leads late – including a five-run lead, Oral Roberts left fielder Tyler Garewal hit a first-pitch solo home run to center field to top California 9-8 to stay alive in the NCAA Regional.

That was only his second hit and first RBI of the contest for Oral Roberts (36-26).

Seth Furmanek went yard twice against California (29-25) - his second a two-run blast to center field to take give Oral Roberts an 8-6 lead. His two home runs put him at 25 for the season, two behind John O’Brien for the most in a season.

Garewal’s game winner was the fourth homer of the day for the Golden Eagles, giving them 104 on the year, breaking the single-season record of 100 home runs set in 1999.

The loss eliminated the Golden Bears from advancing to the super regionals.

ORU built its lead with five runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Furmanek hit his first home run of the game – a two run shot to left field – in the second at-bat of the fourth to give ORU a 3-0 lead.

California managed to cut into the lead in the top of the fifth with a Mitch Delfino RBI double to bring Marcus Semien home and cut the deficit to 3-1.

In the next inning, Chris Elder sent a home run over the center field wall with two on base to give Oral Roberts a 6-1 lead at the end of the fifth.

The Golden Bears answered with three runs of their own in the top of the sixth. Brian Guinn started the scoring for Cal with a solo home run to left in the first at-bat of the inning to narrow the gap to four runs. Four at-bats later with a runner on third, Chad Bunting hit his fourth home run of the season to close the gap to 6-4.

One inning later, Tony Renda doubled to left field with Semien on third to pull California within a single run of Oral Roberts. Two errors on the same play would bring him in to score and tie the game 6-6.

Down 8-6 in the top of the ninth, Chadd Krist singled to left field with runners on first and second to pull within one run of the Golden Eagles. Two at-bats later, Bunting hit a blooper to shallow right field to tie the game 8-8.

ORU pitcher Sean Johnson (3-4) then struck out the next two batters with the bases loaded to end the threat and take the game to the ninth. That would be enough to earn him a win for the outing after giving up two hits and striking out three in his one inning of service. Dixon Anderson (5-4) pitched just two-thirds of an inning in the loss, giving up just one hit – the walk-off home run – to end the game.

The Golden Eagles will take on the loser of Saturday night’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the North Carolina Tar Heels at 1 p.m. Sunday.