JOLIET, Ill. --- Anthony Davis hit a two-run home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to propel Oklahoma Baptist Uiversity to a 6-5 win over Biola in the fifth game of the 2011 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round - Joliet Bracket on Friday afternoon.
The loss drops the Eagles (37-21) into the losers bracket, forcing them to have to win three-straight games to advance to the NAIA World Series. The first of those three games will come on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. in a rematch against the host team, the University of Saint Francis after the Fighting Saints knocked out Jamestown College 3-1 later in the evening. Biola defeated USF 6-2 in the first game for both teams on Thursday.
Oklahoma Baptist advances to the Championship game of the Joliet Bracket and needs just one win to advance to the World Series.
Biola's offense hung with the Bison through much of the game and took a lead late with two runs in the sixth inning thanks to a triple by Johnny Farrington and a single by Benji Sutherland. The two-out hits gave the Eagles a 5-4 lead and put Ryan in line for his eighth victory of the year.
After working out of jams in each of the final three innings, the Eagles ran out of magic in the ninth. Davis, a .400 hitter who had gone 0-for-4 in the game to that point, took the first pitch he saw from Biola closer Cameron McVey and deposited it over the short-porch in right field for the walk off win.
The home run spoiled a solid outing by Biola's top starter Kevin Ryan, who allowed just two earned runs over five innings. Kyle Atkins pitched a solid two innings to set up McVey, who had worked out of a jam in the eighth, but couldn't do it again in the ninth.
The Eagles opened the game with a pair of runs in the top of the second to take an early lead. Mac Sullivan double to deep right field to start things off. Two outs and two walks later, Biola had the bases loaded. Sutherland, who drove in four runs total on the day, singled to right center to make plate Sullivan and Opdyke to make it 2-0.
Oklahoma Baptist answered right back with a two-spot, taking advantage of an error to score the second run after an RBI-single plated the first. In the third, the Bison added another run, taking advantage of another error to extend the inning and eventually score a run.
Biola tied the game back up in the top of the fourth as Garrett Leon led off the frame with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on another ground out, this time by Sutherland.
In the fifth, Oklahoma Baptist took the lead back with a run in the bottom of the frame as Michael Sliger doubled with two outs to drive home his second run of the game.
After the Eagles took the lead back in the top of the sixth, Biola played with fire over the final four innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Mitchell Prophet led off the frame with a single--his third hit in three at-bats. He was moved to second and to third on a sacrifice and a ground out, respectively. But Atkins, who came on in relief to start the inning, got a fly ball to right to end the threat.
Atkins again ran into a minor problem, walking a batter with one away, but getting out of the jam thanks to a great doubleplay turned in by Johnny Farrington.
McVey took over in the eighth and walked the first batter he faced, but was able to get three-straight groundouts to wrap up the inning.
In the ninth, he again walked the leadoff batter and allowed the count to go full to Reece Alnas. Terrence Buchanan, who was on first base, took of toward second on the full-count pitch which Alnas hit right to Johnny Farrington heading over to cover second. He shoveled the ball quickly to Boone Farrington, but it was just too late to catch Buchanan at second. They were able to record the out on Alnas at first, however. But Lopez then took the first pitch he saw up and out to end the game.
Richie Mirowski, the No. 1 starter for Oklahoma Baptist, ended up going the distance, throwing 141 pitches in the contest an improving to 11-1. He allowed five runs on eight hits, walking five and striking out three.
Johnny Farrington continued his hot play for the Eagles, going 2-for-2 with a sacrifice and walk. He is now 4-for-5 in the tournament.
The loss was another one-run defeat for the Eagles who have gone 5-13 in one-run games this season. It was also just the fifth time in 30 games Biola lost when scoring the first run of the game.
