Oral Roberts University celebrated making the NCAA Tournament Super Regional. (Photo Courtesy ORU Athletics)
By Julian Guilarte
World Baseball Network
Oral Roberts defeated Dallas Baptist 6-5 last night in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to advance to a Super Regional in the NCAA Tournament.
Oral Roberts are now one step away from a trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.
Oral Roberts (48-11) started their journey in the regionals by upsetting the host and top seed No. 12-ranked Oklahoma State 6-4 on June 2. They followed that up with a slugfest win against Washington 15-11 on June 3.
The stage was set for a showdown against Dallas Baptist, who beat Washington 9-1 in their first game yesterday.
Oral Roberts scored against Dallas Baptist right away, getting a two-RBI single from third baseman Holland Breeze in the first. Dallas Baptist starting pitcher Matt Bollenbacher lasted just one inning after giving up three hits and two runs.
Dallas Baptist got one run back in the second on a solo home run from second baseman Miguel Santos to make it a 2-1 game, but Oral Roberts answered right back in the bottom half of the second with two more runs on a fielder’s choice after the bases were loaded and an RBI single from center fielder Johan Cox, putting the Golden Eagles up 4-1.
Dallas Baptist’s offense woke up in the sixth and tied the game when first baseman Tom Poole hit a two-run home run and catcher Nate Rombach went back-to-back with a solo shot.
Oral Roberts starting pitcher Brooks Fowler hit a wall after cruising through the first four innings. His final line was five innings, seven hits, four runs, three walks, and seven strike outs with two home runs allowed.
Oral Roberts answered back right away with two runs in the sixth on right fielder Matt Hogan’s two-run home run to make it 6-4. Dallas Baptist got a run back in the seventh with another RBI on a single from Miguel Santos.
Oral Roberts led 6-5 after seven and pitched two scoreless innings to end the game. The save was recorded by Cade Denton, who got Santos to ground out to third base for the final out.
Oral Roberts will play Oregon (38-11) in the Super Regionals in a best-of-three series for the right to advance to Omaha for the College World Series.
Oral Roberts won an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2006. If they win their Super Regional series against Oregon, it would be their first trip to the College World Series since 1978.