[Baseball] USAO comes back to win roller-coaster outing over Baseball Falcons
WICHITA, Kan. – The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) Drovers came away with a back-and-forth 10-7 win over the Friends University Falcons in a non-conference tilt today (Mar. 14) at West Side Athletic Field.
The Drovers jumped on the Falcons early as a solo homer by Christopher Martinez and a two-run single by Ryan Duncan powered a five-run third inning for a 6-0 lead. An error prolonged the inning and led to the final four runs of the frame being unearned.
It was then the Falcons turn to get going, scoring seven unanswered runs to take the lead when Caleb Coats (SO/Katy, Texas) doubled home Zeke Henson (SO/Raymore, Mo. ) in the fifth.
An RBI double by Niquan Benjamin (SO/US Virgin Islands) in the third started the rally, with Coats and Buster Hardman (JR/American Fork, Utah) each delivering run-scoring singles to fuel a four-run fourth inning. A well-placed sacrifice fly in shallow right field by Devon Lujan (SO/Olathe, Kan.) capped the inning and tied the score.
But it was the Drovers who the final answer of the day when a two-run double by Will Hoch in the seventh gave USAO a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Drovers then tacked on a run in each of the eighth and ninth innings for the final three-run margin.
Friends put two runners on the eighth, but Alden Norquist got the final out and then retired the Falcons in order in the ninth to earn the save.
Coats sparked the Falcon offense from the top of the lineup with three hits and two RBIs. Hardman and Pablo Oden (SR/Hollywood, Fla.) had two hits apiece, while Benjamin and Lujan each drove in two runs.
Spencer Davidson (SO/Delphos, Kan) started for the Falcons (9-13) and went two innings with one run allowed, as the Falcons deployed eight pitchers overall. Jackson Powell (FR/Lufkin, Texas), Matt Bomersback (SO/Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and Cameron Chase (FR/Colorado Springs, Colo.) each turned in a scoreless inning of relief.
Hoch had three hits and two RBIs for the Drovers (13-11).
Kaden Alexander pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for USAO to get the win. .
The Falcons will next resume KCAC action with a three-game weekend series at the University of Saint Mary, starting with a single game Friday (Mar. 17) at 3 pm in Leavenworth, Kan.