OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Crimson Storm bounced back in a big way Tuesday evening, dominating a midweek non-conference matchup on the road with a 22-5 run-rule victory over the Oklahoma City Stars.

Southern Nazarene (10-36, 1-29 GAC) wasted no time setting the tone against Oklahoma City (20-25, 15-12 SAC), erupting for nine runs in the opening inning. The Storm capitalized on walks, hit-by-pitches, and timely hitting early before Josh Bay capped the explosive frame with a three-run home run to give SNU a commanding 9-0 lead.

Oklahoma City answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but the Storm offense continued to pour it on. Trevyn Stewart launched a solo homer in the third, while James Bodine added a two-run double later in the inning to stretch the lead to 12-2.

Southern Nazarene kept the pressure on through the middle innings, scoring three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Cade Ross and Bay each delivered key RBI hits, while Kane Springer added a two-run single as part of the fifth-inning surge that pushed the lead to 19-3.

The Storm weren't done yet in the seventh inning, Stewart and Dominic Garcia came through again with RBI knocks, with Garcia driving in two to extend the lead to 22-4 and secure the run-rule margin.

On the mound, Layton Reither earned the win after tossing four solid innings, allowing three runs while striking out four. The bullpen combination of Connor Willis and Caleb Tucker closed things out to seal the victory.

Stewart led the way with three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs. Garcia also had a big night, scoring four runs and driving in three, while Bay finished with a home run and four RBIs. Ross added four RBIs of his own in the win.

Next Up
The Crimson Storm will aim to build on their momentum as they travel to Shawnee, Oklahoma. They are scheduled to play Oklahoma Baptist in a single game on Friday, April 24 at 6:00 pm., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, April 25 beginning at 1:00 pm.