Eagles sweep Cameron in dramatic fashion with 9th-inning rally

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 2, 2018) – Oklahoma Christian figured out a way to break through against Cameron pitcher Andrew Garza in just enough time to secure a doubleheader sweep on Friday.

Garza threw eight innings of one-hit baseball, but Chad Kennedy homered to start the ninth and Kyle Bottger delivered a dramatic two-out RBI single to give the Eagles a 2-1 win in the second game at Dobson Field. In the opener, Kennedy also homered and drove in two runs as OC beat the Aggies 5-2.

Playing for the first time in 21 days, the Eagles quickly jumped on Cameron (7-5) for three runs in the first inning, with Kennedy and Alex Garcia each delivering an RBI single. Kennedy scored on a balk to give OC (4-5) a 3-1 lead and homered in the third to make it 4-1, but Cameron got a run back in the fourth on a solo homer by Kameron Good.

The Eagles added an insurance run in the fifth off Cameron starter Reid Garrett (3-1).

OC starter Mason McAlister (1-2) struck out six in five innings of work, with Jake Collins pitching a scoreless ninth inning to record his second save of the season.

The second game was a pitching duel between Garza and OC starter Gabe Rodery, who struck out eight and allowed only one (unearned) run in six innings. That came in the first inning, when the Eagles committed two errors as Cameron took a 1-0 lead.

Garza made it stand up most of the way, allowing only an infield single to Hunter Markwardt in the third inning before Kennedy's ninth-inning homer tied the game. Garza struck out Garcia before giving way to reliever Sean Mahar (1-1), who promptly walked Collins and Brice Smith.

Kolton Brown followed with a single, but Cameron left fielder Mitch Sloan threw out pinch-runner Drew Wright at home plate for the second out. Bottger then hit a blooper to right field that fell in and Smith scooted home from second base for the winning run.

Reliever Garett Hill (1-1) pitched the top of the ninth and picked up the win in relief.

The Aggies and Eagles will finish their three-game series with a single game in Lawton at 2 p.m. Saturday.