TULSA�€"BYU scored all six runs in the final four
innings as the Cougars rallied for a 6-2 win over Oral Roberts
University, Friday at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
With the game tied at
1-1 in the top of the seventh, BYU loaded the bases with one out
against ORU starter Taylor McIntyre (Edmond,
Okla.), thanks in part to an error by shortstop Michael Hollimon (Dallas,
Texas) and a pair of walks. After reliever Matt Hancock (Okmulgee,
Okla.) struck out Jeff Heistand for the second out, BYU's Brandon
Taylor doubled in a pair of runs off Daniel Greenwalt (LaHabra,
Calif.) for a 3-1 lead.
The Cougars (4-4-1)
added a single run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to
preserve the win.
ORU (6-4) got on the
board first, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out
double by Dennis
Bigley (Lancaster, Texas). But after allowing six batters
to the plate in the first inning, BYU starter Brandon Christiansen
(1-0) held the Golden Eagles in check over the next five innings,
facing no more than four batters in innings two through six.
On the other side,
McIntyre cruised through the first five innings, allowing three
hits while striking out seven. In the sixth, BYU collected three
straight one-out singles and tied the game on Ben Saylor's sac
fly.
After BYU grabbed the
lead in the top of the seventh, Kevin Lamb (Owasso, Okla.)
opened the bottom of the inning with a triple off reliever Joshua
Barrett. Lamb scored on Kelly Minissale's (Murphy,
Texas) ground out, cutting the lead to 3-2.
BYU extended the lead
to 4-2 in the top of the eighth on an RBI ground out by Sean
McNaughton, and Saylor doubled home two runs in the ninth for a 6-2
lead.
ORU put two on in the
ninth but Ryan Chambers struck out Minissale to end the game.
McIntyre (1-3) took the
loss despite tying a season-high with 10 strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
He allowed six hits and was charged with just one earned run.
Taylor led BYU at the
plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBI as the Cougars banged out 12
hits.
Hollimon was 2-for-4
for the Golden Eagles as three BYU pitchers limited the Golden
Eagles to just eight hits.
ORU and BYU play the
rubber game of their three-game series at 2 p.m., Saturday.
--ORU--
