Golden Eagles make CWS for the first time in 45 years

EUGENE, Ore. — For the first time since 1978, the Oral Roberts baseball team has punched its ticket to the College World Series after defeating Oregon 11-6 Sunday afternoon in the Eugene Super Regional at PK Park.

With the win, ORU becomes the third No. 4 seed in NCAA history to advance to Omaha and the first since 2012.

ORU will meet the Texas Christian Horned Frogs in the opening round of the 2023 College World Series at 1 p.m. Friday in Omaha, Neb.

Things didn’t start well for the Golden Eagles (51-12) on Friday night as they saw an eight-run lead evaporate as the host Ducks walked off the Game 1 victory by a score of 9-8.

However, ORU returned the favor in Game 2 as Justin Quinn’s two-run single in the bottom of the ninth walked off an 8-7 come-from-behind win for the Golden Eagles to force the winner-take-all game Sunday evening.

In the super-regional clinching victory, Caleb Isaacs earned the win to improve to 8-0 on the year, while Dalton Patten picked up the save after striking out three in three innings of work.

Jake McMurray went 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and three runs scored to lead the Golden Eagles offensively. The multi-hit performance marked the 27th of the season for the Tulsa native. Junior Jonah Cox pushed his hit streak to 47 games, which is tied for the third-longest streak in NCAA history, and has hit safely in 62 of the 63 contests this season.

Just like in Game 2, Game 3 also needed an ORU comeback. Trailing 3-1 after an inning, A McCroskey RBI single trimmed the deficit to 3-2 in the third, then the Golden Eagles plated three in the fourth to regain the lead at 5-3. McMurray brought home the first run of the frame with an RBI single up the middle, which plated Jacob Godman, who led off the inning with a walk.

Following a Quinn bunt single that loaded the bases, Matt Hogan drew an RBI walk to put ORU back in front 4-3. McCroskey plated the third run of the frame with an RBI fielder’s choice as the lead grew to 5-3.

The Ducks cut into the advantage as a solo shot in the sixth inning trimmed ORU’s lead to 5-4.

In the seventh, the Golden Eagles stretched their lead to 8-4, capitalizing on defensive miscues by Oregon. A wild pitch allowed Hogan to score the first run of the frame and a throwing error brought around McCroskey as ORU led 7-4. With two outs in the inning, McMurray pushed across his second RBI of the night with a single to center.

The Golden Eagles added insurance in the ninth as three runs came across to score, pushing the advantage to 115. After ORU loaded the bases, Quinn and Cox drew back-to-back RBI walks and Hogan plated the final run of the frame on a hit-by-pitch.

In the bottom half of the ninth, the Ducks pushed across a run on an RBI single but Patten slammed the door shut to seal the victory.

In Game 2, ORU trailed 7-6 in the ninth inning. The Golden Eagles, who were the designated home team and loaded the bases with only one out as Quinn stepped to the plate. The senior delivered with a two-run single down the left-field line to walk it off for ORU.

Cade Denton, a Collegiate Baseball All-American, earned the win to improve to 2-1 on the year after tossing 3.1 innings and striking out three. In relief, Isaacs tossed a scoreless frame and struck out one. Harley Gollert got the start and struck out six over 4.2 innings.

Quinn finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Blaze Brothers and Drew Stahl joined the senior with multi-hit performances.

In Game 1, ORU saw its 21game win streak snapped.

The Golden Eagles struck first in the third on an RBI groundout from Quinn. Following a walk to Cox, Hogan belted a three-run blast to right field as the ORU lead stretched to 4-0. The long ball marked the 18th of the season and second in as many games for the senior.

Later in the frame, a wild pitch allowed Mac McCroskey, who reached on a double, to cross the plate, pushing the lead to 5-0. The Golden Eagle advantage bloomed to 8-0 behind a three-run bases-clearing single from McMurray The Ducks responded in the bottom half of the third with a pair of solo home runs to trim the lead to 8-2. Oregon threatened for more in the frame as it put runners on the corner with only one out, but Hall forced a double play to escape the jam.

In the fourth, Oregon struck for three more runs behind a three-run homer to cut the advantage to 8-5.

A solo homer in the sixth and a pair of RBI singles in the seventh saw the Ducks tie the game at 8-all.

Following back-to-back walks in the ninth, Oregon walked it off on an RBI single to right field.