Grand Slam Lifts Drovers

CHICKASHA – USAO had worked itself into quite a little jam in the first game of Thursday afternoon’s doubleheader against Midland Lutheran College.

Down 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning and threatening to fall below .500 for the first time since Feb. 13, sophomore Brandt Lierle hit a towering grand slam to center field as part of a six-run inning as the University of Science and Arts held on for a 9-8 win in game one.

A five-run third inning helped the Drovers sweep MLC with a 7-2 win in game two.

Senior pitchers Cody Peacock and Justin Ferguson picked up wins in game one and game two, respectively. Peacock improved to 2-0, and Ferguson moved to 2-3 on the season after his three-hitter through six innings. Cory Milford pitched a perfect seventh inning in relief with one strikeout.

Lierle produced the biggest highlight of game one, but he wasn’t the only offense for USAO. The sophomore from Hydro finished 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs and four RBIs, but sophomore Joel Atchley also hit a homer in game two as part of a 2-for-4 day. And junior Ryan Birney went 3-for-4 at the plate in game two with two RBIs, three runs scored and two triples.

USAO improved to 15-13-1 overall and rebounded from a bittersweet weekend series against No. 2 Oklahoma City. The Drovers lost all three against the high-powered Stars, but had a chance to win all three games falling at home on Friday 3-2 and 12-8 on the road Saturday before an 8-7 extra-inning loss in the finale.

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