Oral Roberts 10, Southern Utah 4

Saturday, April 21st 2007, 2:06 pm

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Kelly Minissale hits a bases-clearing triple to key a 6-run 2nd-inning outburst and lead Oral Roberts to a 10-4 win over Southern Utah in the Golden Eagles' Mid-Continent Conference baseball opener.

ORU led 2-0 Friday night after Chad Rothford's 1st-inning home run, his eighth of the season, and jumped on Southern Utah in the 2nd, with Adam Younger and Pat Warfle contributing RBI singles before Minissale's triple.

Rothford also had a sacrifice fly in the inning.

The Thunderbirds pulled within 9-4 by the 4th inning, but didn't score after that.

ORU starter Chris Ashman moved to 4-3, allowing 8 hits in 5 innings, and Erik Crichton pitched 4 innings to record his third save.

Starter Matt Wilson took the loss for Southern Utah and is 1-5.

ORU is 18-14 overall and 1-0 in Mid-Con play while Southern Utah falls to 6-32 and 1-4.