BETHANY, Okla. — The offense was alive for SNU Baseball Wednesday afternoon as they coasted past Central Oklahoma with a 9-6 win on Feland Field.
13 hits and two huge 4th and 6th innings for the Storm (3-20, 0-12 GAC) was all it took to knock off UCO as the Broncho's (11-10, 5-5 MIAA) six scoreless innings left SNU to grab the non-conference victory.
Jonathan Crist's double to right field unleashed the bats for SNU, putting the Storm ahead 1-0 in the 2nd as DJ Van Atten made the first trip across home plate.
UCO would earn their first run in the third to tie it at 1-1, but a Noah Ellis bomb flew over the fence with two on base, recording three RBI's as Cole Embrey and Peyton Vinyard were sent in. SNU was't finished that inning as Brian Brown's double down center field gave EJ Taylor the trot home, putting the Storm up 5-1 over the Bronchos.
In the top of the fifth, UCO's offensive picked up some momentum, as Garrett Takamatsu's double would earn the Bronchos two more runs to trail the Storm 3-5. Central Oklahoma made it a one-run game with a sacrifice fly that would give another Broncho baserunner a trip home.
The Storm ended the potential UCO comeback as Taylor's bat launched one into oblivion, awarding him, Embrey, and Ellis trips around the diamond to claim the 8-4 advantage over the Bronchos. To cap off the scoring that inning, Drake Irby's single up the right side sent Colby Entwistle home, giving SNU the smooth 9-4 lead with three innings left in the ballgame.
The Bronchos recorded one run in the seventh and eighth innings, but couldn't put up much more than that, moving their record to 1-1 against SNU this season as the Storm claimed the three-run win on their home field.
Ellis stepped up big time at the plate, recording a home run, three RBI's and a 1-4 finish. Taylor was up their with the damage as well, finishing 2-3 with three RBI's, a triple, and a homerun.
Irby saw success at bat, finishing 3-5 with an RBI and double. Embrey recorded as well, with his 2-4 finish. Brown and Crist both recorded an RBI and double each, finishing 1-3 and 1-4 respectively.
Six Storm members appeared at the mound, with Parker Presley recording the win with his two strikeouts and successful setup of the Storm's lead. Oliver Wilson and Patrick Hine both showed great performances on the bump, each recording two strikeouts through two innings pitched. Cobey Gorrell was sent in for relief in the 9th, capping off the game with his first save of the season.
Loading up the bus once again this season, SNU will head back to Arkansas to start their series with Arkansas Tech. The Storm will see a single game Friday, March 18th at 6 p.m. followed by a doubleheader Saturday, March 19th starting at 1 p.m.
