The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 16 – Northern Illinois 2
Records: ORU (1-0), Northern Illinois (0-1)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Win: Jakob Hall (1-0) | Loss: Dominic Hann (0-1) 
 
TULSA, Okla. – Mac McCroskey homered a school-record tying three times Friday afternoon as the Oral Roberts baseball team routed Northern Illinois, 16-2, on Opening Day at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

On the mound, Jakob Hall picked up the win after allowing two runs, one earned, over a career-high six innings of work. The sophomore also registered a career-high six strikeouts on the afternoon. The start marked the second of Hall's career and his first at J.L. Johnson Stadium. In relief, Caleb Isaacs made his debut for ORU and threw two no-hit innings followed by a clean ninth from Price Allman.

Offensively, the Golden Eagles launched five home runs on the day, marking their most since April 3, 2021, at Western Illinois. McCroskey finished the afternoon 3-for-6 at the dish and drove in a game-best six runs. Newcomer Matt Hogan followed with three RBIs, while Holden Breeze, Drew Stahl and Jacob Godman each plated a pair of runs. All nine batters in the lineup for ORU recorded a hit as the team racked up 16 on the afternoon.

The Huskies opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI double to center off the bat of Colin Summerhill. Hogan delivered the answer for the Golden Eagles in the bottom half of the frame as the senior launched his first homer in an ORU uniform over the batter's eye in center field. 

After a scoreless second and third, the Huskies trimmed the lead to one, 3-2, courtesy of a throwing error that allowed Andrew Smart to cross the plate in the fourth. 

In the fifth, McCroskey got the run back for ORU as the redshirt senior rocketed his first homer of the afternoon to left. An inning later, the Golden Eagles added two more to their lead, 6-2, as Godman belted his first career ORU home run to left field. Following a Jonah Cox double, McCroskey hammered his second long ball of the afternoon to left, pushing the Golden Eagle advantage to 8-2. ORU tacked on one final run in the frame as Breeze plated Justin Quinn on an RBI fielder's choice to up the lead to 9-2.

The Golden Eagle offense continued to thrive in the seventh as seven runs crossed the plate and the lead bloomed to 16-2. McCroskey highlighted the inning with a three-run shot to left-center, tying the school record for homers in a game. Stahl plated a pair of runs in the frame on an RBI double to left-center, while Cox and Breeze each drove in a run to round out the scoring for ORU.

The Golden Eagle staff retired the final 14 NIU batters as ORU went on to claim the 16-2 victory.

Inside the Box Score
- ORU logged 10 extra-base hits on the afternoon (five homers, five doubles).
- The Golden Eagles registered 16 hits to the Huskies' six.
- Ten different ORU players picked up a hit on the afternoon. 
- As a staff, the Golden Eagles recorded eight strikeouts on the afternoon.
- Hall punched out a career-high six batters on the day.
- McCroskey led the Golden Eagles with a game-high three hits, while Quinn, Jake McMurray, Hogan and Cox tallied two apiece. 
- McCroskey and Quinn each crossed the plate three times on the day to lead all players.

Notes
- Friday's contest marked the first meeting all-time between ORU and NIU. 
- In season openers, the Golden Eagles improved to 36-19 all-time and 6-5 under head coach Ryan Folmar.
- In home openers, ORU is now 45-11 all-time and 38-7 since J.L. Johnson Stadium opened in 1978.
- The 16 runs marked the most by the Golden Eagles on Opening Day since 2006 (16). ORU's 16 runs also tied the program record for the most in a home opener.
- The Golden Eagles five home runs marked their most in a game since April 3, 2021, at Western Illinois.
- Dating back to last season, McCroskey has logged five home runs and 13 RBIs in his last two contests at J.L. Johnson Stadium.
- The Springdale, Arkansas, native has also now reached base in 23 straight games, dating back to last season.
- Allman's appearance on the mound marked the first of his ORU career.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles and Huskies return to the diamond tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

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