Oklahoma City, Okla. -- After going scoreless the first two innings, the No. 3-ranked Oklahoma City Stars exploded for 16 runs over the next six innings and cruised to a 16-3 series-opening win over the Mid-America Christian Evangels Thursday afternoon (Apr. 14) at Evangel Field in OKC. 

Ivan Juvera held the Stars hitless for the first two innings before OCU got things going with three runs in the third, sparked by a two-run double by Ruben Sosa. 

The Stars added two more in the fourth on an RBI single by Mark Purser and a run-scoring triple from Kirk Walker for a 5-0 lead. 

The Evangels clawed back into it with three of their own in the bottom of the inning as Jon Jon Lemos doubled home Adrian-Bravo Carmona and an RBI single by Elfry Abad scored both Jose Flores and Lemos to make it 5-3. 

From that point, it was all Stars as OCU scored two runs in each of the next four innings before Julien Pollard hit a grand slam to power a five-run eighth that put it away.

Corey Theriot worked seven innings and allowed three runs, with 12 strikeouts to earn the win. 

The two schools will play the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon (Apr. 15) at 4 p.m. at OCU.