USAO Collects Win in SAC Opener

BETHANY – Scoring six runs in the final two innings overshadowed USAO’s six home runs as the baseball team stormed past Southern Nazarene 16-11 Thursday afternoon in the conference opener.

Led by a two-run base hit by Scott Ylda in the eighth, a two-run single by Daniel Wood and a two-run home run by Ryan Birney in the ninth, USAO turned a 10-11 deficit around on the Crimson Storm. Birney finished his career day by going 3-of-4 at the plate including two home runs and six RBIs.

Matt Mallory entered the game in the eighth inning in relief and totally shut down the SNU offense, which had managed four home runs as well. The senior from Grand Junction, Colo., pitched two scoreless innings and allowed only one hit with two strikeouts to collect his second win of the season.

The run-fest started in the second inning with Wood scoring on a sacrifice fly by Louie Romero. SNU scored two in the bottom half, but USAO answered in the third. Adam Crosbie sacrificed Bryan Jones in to score and Birney drove in R.J. Nieto, who pinch ran for Cody Hines.

Hines hit his fourth home run of the year - a three-run shot in the fourth inning to give the Drovers a short-lived 6-2 lead. SNU’s three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth made the USAO lead 6-5.

In the sixth inning Joel Atchley hit a solo home run, and Birney hit a three-run bomb to give the Drovers a 10-5 lead. A two-run home in the bottom half kept the Crimson Storm within striking distance at 10-7.

Two SNU home runs in the seventh inning gave the home team an 11-10 lead. The USAO coaching staff turned to Mallory in the eighth, and SNU couldn’t answer the continued Drover bombardment.

USAO improved to 12-7-1 overall with its second straight win, and the team picked up its first league win. SNU is now 12-7 overall and 0-1 in the SAC.

###