OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels gave the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Baptist University Bison all they could handle for the full nine innings, but the Bison slipped by 7-6 in the opening game of pool play at the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament on the campus of OBU in Shawnee, Okla.
The Evangels trailed 7-5 going to the bottom of the ninth, but Dustin Carlsward gave the Evangels a chance with a lead-off single and eventuall scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to just one run.
Chevin Noone then hit a double and was at second with two outs when Z Tipton laced a single to right, but Noone was tagged out trying to score the tying run to end the game and allow the Bison to escape with the win.
With the game tied 5-5 heading to the seventh,a single by Matt Page and then two balks and a wild pitch by MACU starter Robert Santana led to the go-ahead run for the Bison.
OBU then added an insurance run on an RBI double by Ridge Hoopii-Haslam in the eighth inning.
The Evangels got on the board first when Daniel Thompson hit a lead-off triple and scored the game's first run on a throwing error.
Santana kept the Bison off the scoreboard for the first two innings until Matt Page keyed a three-run third inning with a two-run double that made it 3-1.
After OBU added a run in the fourth to take a three-run lead, Taylor Daniels singled home two runs in the bottom of the inning to bring the Evangels within a run at 4-3.
The Evangels had a chance to do even more damage in the fourth with the bases loaded and no outs, but a strikeout and a double play ended the threat.
An error led to another run in the fifth for the Bison, but the Evangels again fought back and tied the score in the sixth as singles by Daniels and Thompson led to Daniels crossing the plate on an error on a bunt attempt by Matt Cruz.
Logan Glasgow then tied the score with an RBI single that plated Thompson.
Santana lasted seven innings and gave up five earned runs on only four hits, with eight strikeouts.
Mat Owen followed him and allowed one run in his two innings out of the bullpen.
