OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene picked up a much needed win Saturday and staved off a Sooner Athletic Conference series sweep with an 8-6 win over Mid-America Christian.
James Tunnell led the way, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored and John Basnight hit a game-winning, two-run home run in the top of the ninth as eight different players recorded nine hits for The Crimson Storm (14-19, 7-16 SAC).
The Evangels (12-23, 8-13 SAC) took the first lead with a run in the bottom of the second, but the Storm answered in the top of the third on back-to-back singles by Adam Bies and Derek Johnson to take a 2-1 lead. MACU responded with three runs in the second to lead 4-2 and added another in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead, but the Storm tied it in the fifth with three runs. SNU scored the first two runs on a MACU error before Ryan Williams hit into a ground out to tie the game at 5-5.
Tunnell gave SNU the lead again in the top of the eighth at 6-5 with a sacrifice fly to center, but the Evangels answered in the bottom half on a Jon Jon Lemos home run.
Johnson then led off the ninth with a walk and was pushed over on a Williams sac bunt. Basnight stepped to the plate to pinch hit for Ryan McIntosh and delivered the game-winning shot, his second of the year, as SNU snapped a four-game losing streak.
Jake Mitcheltree (4-3) picked up the win after allowing six runs on 10 hits in nine innings of work. He also struck out eight.
The Storm now will host Oklahoma City in the final game of a three-game series, Tuesday, for a 3 p.m. SAC game.
