Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Goodwell, Okla.—The three-game Heartland Conference series between OPSU and Oklahoma Christian University was bumped up a day (from Friday/Saturday to Thursday/Friday) due to impending weekend thunderstorms. While the weather may have been avoided the Aggies got caught up in a different storm, as they faced high winds and heavy hitters on both days.

Thursday saw two very close games in which OPSU took one-run losses in each (2-3, 6-7); on Friday a deflated Aggie defense gave up 16 hits to the Eagles, who notched a series sweep with an 11-1 run-rule victory. OC currently sits third in the conference ranks and are on an eight-game winning streak.

Samuel Beattie opened for the Aggies and pitched a complete seven innings in game one, giving up eight hits for three earned runs. The junior lefty tossed eight strikeouts in the matchup, the most by any pitcher over the three-game stint. Oklahoma Christian earned all three of their runs in the top of the third inning when they led off with a double which was followed up with two singles, and then a ground-rule double brought in the last two runs with one out in the inning. OPSU scored one run in the fourth and one in the sixth with both RBI going to first baseman Austin Beckner off singles. Beattie's loss dropped his record to 2-7 on the year and Brennan Walker earned his sixth win for the Eagles with eight hits and one run earned; Walker threw one strikeout in the game.

OPSU owned the lead through eight innings of game two before giving up four runs in the top of the ninth to suffer a heartbreaking loss in the end. The Aggies led off with another junior left-hander as Felipe Beltran took the mound for Thursday's second meeting with the Eagles. Beltran held his batters to one hit and zero runs in his first two innings and had a two-run advantage going into the third. Quinn O'Neill and Joseph Cerda each crossed home on and RBI single by Beckner in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Aggies a 2-0 lead early in the game. At the top of the third, back-to-back doubles on two outs scored one OC runner cutting the Aggies' lead to one run (2-1).

Beltran allowed just three hits through the next three innings, and the Aggie defense kept three Eagles on base to give up zero hits through the sixth. OPSU added two runs in the bottom of the fifth as Cerda singled with a runner on first and each advanced on an error; catcher B.J. Henry scored the second run of the inning on a sac-fly that resulted in a double play. With a 4-1 advantage going into the seventh inning, the Aggies had victory in their sights; but a lead-off walk followed by a single and two-run double darkened the vision and dropped their lead to one-run. Joel Perez was brought in to relieve Beltran from duty with no outs and one runner which Perez left on base. The Aggies then left three of their own on base to go scoreless in the bottom of the inning, but Perez struck out two and gave up zero runs in the top of the eighth leaving the Aggies with a 4-3 lead and a shot at a conference win.

Centerfielder Derek Stallworth stepped up with a lead-off single in the bottom of the eighth and was backed up by Juan Rubayo who reached base on an infield error. Stallworth moved to third as a fly-foul ball brought the first out of the inning, and then scored on a ground-out to pull the Aggies ahead by two runs. Quinn O'Neill came through with an RBI single to score Rubayo and edge a 6-3 lead with one inning left to play. Perez walked the first two batters in the top of ninth which sent Scott Cutright in to close. Behind in the count, Cutright was taken for a three-run homer on his first batter faced which tied things up at 6-6. With one out a runner who reached on a fielder's choice was sent to second on an Aggie error and advanced to third on a wild pitch; the runner scored on a single with two outs giving the Eagles their first lead of the game. Oklahoma Christian held on for the win after a pick-off, a ground-out and runner caught stealing sent the Aggies' opening three batters back the dugout to end the inning. Cutright took the loss and OC's Garrett Hill got the win with Jake Moore earning a save.

In Friday's series finale the Aggies' opening pitcher Logan Litton went four innings held the Eagles scoreless through three. Zero hits from either team in the first got the game off to a good start from a pitcher's perspective, but Litton lapsed in the top of the second and gave up four RBI singles to send the visitors up with a 4-0 lead, while the Aggies took two hits for zero runs through the third. In the bottom of the fourth a single by Stallworth put OPSU on the board with one run, however three runners were left on base that inning leaving opportunities missed out on the field. Litton was relieved by Zane Grigsby in the fifth after walking three batters to base. Five runs came through for Oklahoma Christian in the fifth and one run each scored in the sixth and seventh as Dallas Guerrero took the helm for the Aggies. OPSU had four hitless innings in the game. Litton was given the loss and OC's starter Bradley horn got the win in 6.0 innings of work.

The Aggies now sit 5-35 as they close in on the end of the season. The team will take to the road for a mid-week matchup against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva, Okla. On Tuesday, April 19. Their final home games will take place this coming weekend with a three-game Heartland series against the top-ranked team in the league, St. Edward's University. A doubleheader is scheduled for Friday, April 22 at 1 p.m. with game three taking place Saturday, April 23 at Noon; seniors will be recognized prior to first pitch on Saturday.