The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 5 – Missouri State 8
Records: ORU (4-1), Missouri State (2-2)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (J.L. Johnson Stadium)
Win: Tyler Tscherter (1-0) | Loss: Joshua Caravalho (0-1) | Save: Scott Youngbrandt (1) 
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts baseball team fell to Missouri State, 8-5, Wednesday afternoon in midweek action at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

Matt Hogan homered for the fourth time this season and finished 2-for-4 at the dish with two RBIs to lead the Golden Eagles.

On the mound, Dalton Patten, Jacob Widener, Conner Floyd and Cade Denton shined out of the bullpen as the four combined for 4.2 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. The four also allowed only one hit.

Missouri State jumped out to a 7-1 advantage through the first three frames courtesy of four home runs. The Bears launched back-to-back solo shots in the first, a three-run homer in the second and a two-run shot in the third. 

Hogan drove in the lone run for the Golden Eagles in the opening three frames as the senior blasted his fourth home run of the campaign with a solo shot over the left-center fence in the second.

In the fifth, the Bears loaded the bases with one out but were held to only one run courtesy of an incredible diving catch from Jonah Cox in center. Cox then led off the bottom half of the frame with a triple and later scored on a Jacob Godman double to trim the deficit to 8-2. Blaze Brothers followed with an RBI double of his own as the Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 8-3. 

ORU plated two more runs in the eighth courtesy of an RBI single from Hogan coupled with a throwing error by Missouri State. With the tying run waiting in the on-deck circle, the Bears put an end to the Golden Eagle rally with a 5-4-3 double play. 

In the ninth, ORU went down in order as Missouri State held on for the 8-5 win.

Inside the Box Score
- Six different Golden Eagles registered a hit.
- As a staff, ORU struck out 12 on the day.
- In the ninth, Denton struck out the side.  
- Widener tossed 2.0 shutout innings and struck out two.
- Floyd retired the Bears in order in the eighth and punched out two.
- Cox logged his first triple and sixth extra-base hit of the year.
- Brothers' double was his second of the season. 

Notes
- Wednesday's meeting marked the 63rd all-time between the two clubs.
- Despite the loss, the Golden Eagles still hold a 34-29 edge in the series.
- In his last 37.1 innings on the mound, Denton has not allowed an earned run.
- Mac McCroskey extended his on-base streak to 27 straight games, dating back to last season.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles hit the road for the first time in 2023 as they travel to face Texas State February 24-26 for a three-game set.

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