05-26-09 (box score)

Walker’s extra-inning blast helps Oklahoma City defeat Southern Poly

Stars remain alive in title hunt with 8-4 triumph in 10 innings

LEWISTON, Idaho – Sophomore shortstop Kirk Walker smacked a three-run home run in the top of the 10^th inning to highlight a four-run rally to help second seed Oklahoma City University defeat No. 5 seed Southern Polytechnic State 8-4 in a loser-out contest at the 53^rd annual Avista NAIA World Series on Tuesday. 

Walker’s blast helped the Stars (53-8) overcome a rollercoaster ballgame where it took leads of 3-0 and 4-2, only to have Southern Poly (53-10) rally to tie the game. OCU also lost starting center-fielder Sammy Lee for the remainder of the tournament with a broken leg after he had a violent collision with right-fielder Jason Machado on a fly ball in the seventh inning.  The game was delayed 11 minutes while Lee was carted off the field on a stretcher and he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. 

The Stars, who are seeking their second title in the last five years, will take on Lubbock Christian on Wednesday at a time to be determined. Lubbock Christian played Point Loma Nazarene in Tuesday’s late game and if Lubbock Christian wins, Wednesday’s game will be at 7 p.m. Otherwise, it will be at 3 p.m. 

OCU seemed ready to roll in this ballgame after picking up two hits and taking advantage of two errors in the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Machado and Brandon Moss both had RBI singles in the inning. 

The Stars made it 3-0 in the third when Machado drew a two-out walked and scored on a double by Moss down the right-field line. 

The Hornets answered with two runs in the bottom of the third on Daniel Hester’s two-run home run, his 12^th of the season. 

OCU made it 4-2 in the fourth on an RBI single by Steve Vitale. 

Southern Poly fought back with a run in the sixth on an RBY ground out by Corey Jones and then tied the game in the seventh on Josh Grooms’ RBI single. 

Neither team mounted much of a threat until the 10^th when Moss doubled to center field to open the inning, but then was thrown out at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Landon Camp. David Mann followed with a single to put runners on first and second with one out to bring up the team’s No. 9 hitter in the lineup, Walker. On the first pitch he saw, Walker hit his eighth home run of the season. Machado added an RBI single to make it 8-4. 

Moss, Walker and Machado combined to go 9-of-14 with seven RBI. Moss was 4-for-6 with two RBI, Walker was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Machado was 2-for-4.  Jono Waugh was the only Hornet with more than one hit as he finished with two.