BETHANY, Okla. — In their last doubleheader of the 2023 season, Southern Nazarene Baseball dropped both games to Oklahoma Baptist who ended the series with a sweep.
The Storm (15-35, 6-27 GAC) celebrated Senior Day just before the start of the doubleheader, commemorating the college careers of its 10 seniors Tyler Broyles, Cole Embrey, Will Emerson, Landon Hamm, Drake Irby, Casey Minchey, Jacob Owen, Hutch Underwood, Peyton Vinyard, and Chandler Wilberding. The Bison (28-19, 18-15 GAC) carried on their momentum from yesterday's win, using a total of 27 hits between both games to earn two victories on Saturday, winning Game 1, 10-4, and Game 2, 16-6.
Game 1
Lead-off batter Cole Embrey got SNU off to an electric start, lacing a ball up the right field line for a triple. Dax Edmonds' sacrifice fly sent Embrey home and SNU earned the quick 1-0 lead in the first. Colby Entwistle helped out DJ Van Atten with his fly out as Van Atten trotted home to put the Storm ahead 2-0.
The Bison opened their scoring in the second inning with a huge shot over the right field fence to trail the Storm 2-1.
The Bison tied the game at two a piece in the third with a single to short stop. SNU was quick to take the lead back when Weston Hicks launched one over the left field fence for two RBIs, also plating DJ Van Atten for the 4-2 lead.
The Bison rocketed another homer in the sixth to trail by a single run, just before getting an offensive burst in the seventh inning. The Bison took advantage of a two-RBI double and two SNU errors in the field, regaining the lead at 5-4.
The Bison did not stop, exploding for three more runs in the seventh to lead SNU by four runs.
SNU struggled to challenge OBU's lead while the Bison continued to tack on the runs, firing back to back home runs in the ninth inning to propel their lead to 10-4.
The Storm didn't see much at the plate in final at-bat, losing to OBU by a final score of 10-4.
Game 2
The Bison woke up the bats in the first inning with a single, a double, a two-RBI homerun, and a wild pitch to take a 6-0 lead over the Storm.
The hits continued to bring in the runs for the Bison as they fired a two-RBI home run over the center field fence, bumping their lead to 8-0.
The Storm had troubles at the plate themselves, unable to combat the performances of the Bison through the first two innings played. OBU did not step off the gas, tacking on three more runs in the third for the 11-0 advantage.
Weston Hicks tallied another home run to his day and got SNU out of the scoring slump with a solo home run to right field, putting SNU behind 11-1 in the fourth.
The Bisons' dominance continued to inch them closer and closer to victory, breaking out five runs, including a lethal three RBI home run over the right field fence to grow their lead to 16-1.
Colby Entwistle lessened the blow in the bottom fifth with a solo home run to the scoreboard. Home runs continued to be the story for SNU as Cole Embrey recorded another for the Storm with Drake Irby on base, gaining two more runs to trail 16-4 moving into the sixth.
The long balls kept coming for SNU as Tyler Broyles launched one over the left field fence for two RBIs, putting SNU behind 16-6 with just a single out under their belt.
SNU's fielding kept the Bison from seeing any more runs the rest of the way, but were left to overcome the 10-run deficit in the final inning of the game.
The challenge was just too large and SNU fell by a final score of 16-6.
Saturday's doubleheader concluded the final games of the 2023 season. SNU will look to build off of this season with the help of its promising young class and group of returners.
