Wood’s Double Wins it

CHICKASHA – Hollywood couldn’t have written a better script as the University of Science and Arts beat No. 15 Lubbock Christian 1-0 in extra innings of game two Thursday afternoon at Bill Smith Ballpark.

Daniel Wood pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth and redeemed himself after two, game one errors by smashing a walk-off double to the wall in right center field. R.J. Nieto, pinch running for Brandt Lierle, scored from first base sliding just under the tag as the Drovers broke LCU’s 20-game winning streak.

“I was saving Daniel for just the right spot to pinch hit,” assistant coach Mike Ross said after the game, “He’s clutch in that situation, and when that ball hit the wall, I had no doubt to send R.J. home.”

The perfect situation to plug in Wood was difficult to find since this Hollywood script also included one of the most dominating pitchers duels in years. USAO sophomore Nate Hammons pitched a five-hit shutout with five strikeouts on just four days rest as the Drovers improved to 18-18-1 and moved into a fourth-place tie in the SAC at 5-6.

(Of course, with a win against LCU in the series finale at 1 p.m. Friday at Bill Smith Ballpark, USAO would have beaten three of the four teams tied or ahead of them in the standings.)

LCU’s Chris Holguin threw just one mediocre pitch in 8 1/3 innings, but that ninth-inning fastball marred his two-hitter as LCU fell to 25-9 overall and 10-1 in the league. Holuguin stymied Drover batters all day collecting 13 strikeouts, but he become noticeably worn down in the ninth after walking Lierle with one out.

“I had a 2-0 count,” Wood said about his game-winning double after the game. “And he didn’t want to walk me and put the winning run on second. So, I knew I was going to see a fastball.”

Hammons improved to 6-1 on the season with 17 strikeouts in his last two starts. USAO has experienced more success since moving the Fort Cobb native to the game two starter. According to Ross, the swing game is the most important of any three-game series, and Hammons has proven to be the best pitcher at handling that situation.

“It was a great pitchers duel, and I love that kind of pressure,” Hammons said after finishing his fifth complete game of the season. “I don’t buckle under the pressure. I actually thrive on it. It was a fun game. This is just the start of where we are headed. We are going to the conference tournament.”

USAO dropped game one 7-2 after leading early. Wood started at third base before being replaced after two throwing errors led to one unearned run. When asked about coming back from those two errors with, perhaps, the series’ biggest at bat, he put things into perspective.

“It’s baseball,” Wood said. “Those things happen. You just have to put that kind of stuff behind you.”

It doesn’t get anymore Hollywood than that, but the Drovers are counting on a sequel that has them playing in the postseason.

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