PHOENIX, Ariz. – After a promising start to its 2021 season-opening game, the Oklahoma Panhandle State University baseball team lost a 7-5 decision to Midland University at Apollo Field in the Coach Calderone Invitational. The Aggies continue play in the tourney on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Central Time doubleheader versus the University of St. Katherine and Arizona Christian (note time change from original schedule).
Junior transfer
Josiah Roundtree got the call as the opening-day starter form OPSU. Roundtree set the Warriors down in order the first two innings and faced just one batter above the minimum through three frames.
The Aggie bats were kept silent in the first two at-bats, as well. But in the bottom of the third, senior outfielder Chris
Schraer laced a one-out triple to right for Panhandle's first hit of the year. Senior teammate
Markus Bracey followed with a double to left, driving in Schraer.
Senior transfer
Mekhi Edwards reached on a fielding error, allowing Bracey to trot home with OPSU's second run. A single by
Jose Santiago and subsequent fielding error in the outfield plated Edwards with an unearned run, giving OPSU a 3-0 cushion.
But that lead was short lived. In the top of the fourth, MU got to Roundtree for three runs (just one earned – and three hits to knot the game at 3-3. In the sixth, the Warriors pushed across two runs off three-straight hits to chase Roundtree and lead 5-3.
An RBI single by
Luis Dermas in the bottom of the sixth got OPSU within one run. But Midland responded with two in its half of the seventh. Another run-scoring single by Dermas in the eighth drove in pinch-runner
Zack Madrigal for the final 7-5 score.
Roundtree (0-1) took the loss in his first OPSU start, going 5.1 innings. He allowed eight hits and five runs, two of which were unearned. Roundtree struck out two and walked one.
Reliever
Austin Jacobs went the final 3.2 innings, giving up three hits and one earned run.
Santiago had a nice day at the plate, going 3-for-5 in the clean-up position. Dermas went 2-for-4, with his two RBI, and Schraer 2-for-3 with a run.
Bracey was 1-for-5 with a run and a run batted in.
Jonathan Applebury and
Sam Bond joined Edwards with one hit apiece.
