Eagles edge Hounds in finale

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Christian’s Isaiah Alvarenga tossed a complete-game four-hitter and shortstop Grant Lake cracked a two-run homer in the third, lifting the Eagles to a 2-0 win over Eastern New Mexico University on Sunday in the finale of a Lone Star Conference baseball series.

Alvarenga (3-3), a sophomore right-hander, struck out 11 and walked just one as OC (11-21, 11-21 LSC) captured three of four over the weekend for its first home series win of the season. Alvarenga retired 12 consecutive Greyhounds in one stretch, including five in a row on strikes.

ENMU’s best chance came in the opening frame when it put runners at first and second with one out, but Alvarenga induced an inning-ending, around-the-horn double play grounder from freshman designated hitter Spencer Roach.

Texico sophomore right-hander Dalton Thatcher (2-3) was the tough-luck loser, going a career-high-tying seven innings and allowing only five hits and one earned run. He walked three and struck out three.

The Hounds return home this weekend for a four-game league series against St. Mary’s, starting with a 6 p.m. single contest on Friday.

Oklahoma Christian 9-1, ENMU 8-2 (Saturday) — After a devastating loss in the opener, ENMU scored twice in the third inning of the nightcap, and Ruger Bravo made the runs stand up with a seven-inning, four-hit complete game.

Second baseman Dax Edmonds drew a one-out walk in the third, and right fielder Cooper Hamilton was hit by a pitch. After a forceout at third for the second out, Hamilton and Roach completed a double steal.

Hamilton then scored on a wild pitch by Eagles right-hander Kyle Higgins (0-3), and third baseman Sammy Williamson followed with an RBI single to left.

OC scored on center fielder Cole Lee’s two-out single in the fifth, but Ruger (3-3) retired seven of the final eight hitters. The freshman left-hander finished with nine strikeouts and just one walk.

ENMU let Game 1 get away after cruising into the bottom of the seventh with a 7-1 lead behind junior right-hander Damian Acosta, who had permitted just three hits to that point.

But he allowed a one-out RBI double to Eagles left fielder Tanner White, then issued back-to-back walks to force in a run and make it 7-3. Acosta was replaced by junior William McBride (1-1), who surrendered a game-tying grand slam to right fielder Blake Empkey, forcing bonus cantos.

Catcher Jack Thompson, who put the Hounds in front with a two-run homer in the second, led off the ninth with a single to right-center, his third hit of the contest. He stole second, took third on a sacrifice and scored on a wild pitch by sophomore Matthew Shira (3-1), the Eagles’ sixth pitcher.

But McBride was unable to retire anyone in the bottom half as OC loaded the bases on a single, a hit batsman and a sacrifice in which the Hounds didn’t get an out. Empkey then hit a grounder to third, but Williamson made an errant throw home as both runners scored.

ENMU had a 12-7 advantage in hits, but stranded 11 runners. Center fielder Camden Matthews drove in three runs, capping a four-run third with a two-run single and adding an RBI single to make it 7-1 in the fifth.

Oklahoma Christian 6, ENMU 2 (Friday) — The Eagles strung together six consecutive one-out hits to score four times in the second inning, and freshman right-hander Will Rodman (3-4) made it stand with 7 1/3 solid innings.

ENMU left the bases loaded in both the sixth and eighth innings. Reliever Andrew Alonzo bailed Rodman out of the latter jam, getting catcher Andres Quintana on a called third strike and retiring right fielder Braeton Matthews on a groundout en route to his first save.

OC outhit the Hounds 10-8, getting two hits apiece from four players. Meantime, Williamson and Roach were both 2-for-4 for ENMU.