Traveling to Oklahoma City for the first weekend in March, the Baker University baseball team brought home its first victory of the season.<br/>
The Wildcats took on No. 4 Oklahoma City University and the University of Saint Mary on both Saturday and Sunday and ended the weekend with a 1-3 record.
Errors were the downfall for the ‘Cats in game one, which they lost to Oklahoma City 5-1. Junior Jimmy Gricol was the starting pitcher and gave up only two earned runs in his five innings on the mound for Baker.
Oklahoma City had five runs on five hits, though, while the Wildcats only scored one run on a total of six hits. Senior Justin Lane had a team-high three hits for Baker.
A walk-off single by freshman Neal Boyce helped Baker to bounce back in its next game Saturday, which resulted in a 6-5 victory over the University of Saint Mary.
Entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Baker was tied 5-5 with the Spires when Boyce sent freshman Charles Coleman home with the single.
Sophomore Caleb Lee picked up the win after throwing a complete game and recording three strikeouts.
Three Wildcats went two for four from the plate in game two, including Boyce, and seniors Matt Fry and Bryan Kindle.
On day two, Baker fell to the No. 4 ranked Oklahoma City once again, 17-3. All 17 of the Stars’ runs were scored in the first four innings.
In the final game of the series, the Wildcats fought back after trailing 5-0 in the top of the third inning. Baker scored nine runs in just one inning, two of which came from a two-run home run hit by Coleman over the left field wall.
Despite a 14-13 loss, the ‘Cats recorded a season high of 17 hits during the game as Kindle led the way with four hits and two RBIs.
One of Kindle’s RBI’s came in the top of the seventh inning as Baker trailed the University of Saint Mary by two runs, 14-12. Kindle’s RBI single sent Lechien home, but the game would soon be over after senior Justin Lane hit a ground ball to the third baseman forcing a 5-4-3 double play.
Baker is now 1-7 on the season and is scheduled to hit the road again to take on Tabor College. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Friday in Crete, Neb.
