May 28, 2011

Contact: Amanda Dahl, NAIA Manager of Sports Information & Media Services, adahl@naia.org

LEWISTON, Idaho - Third-seeded Oklahoma Baptist rallied from a two-run deficit to beat No. 10 Tennessee Wesleyan, 8-6, at the Avista-NAIA World Series at Harris Field Saturday. The Bison (46-13) will continue to battle through the losers bracket, taking on the loser of the Concordia (Calif.) and Embry-Riddle (Fla.) game at 8:30 a.m. PDT on May 30.

Kyle Brule picked up the Bison win from the mound to improve to 7-1. The senior right-hander entered in the top of the sixth and held the Bulldogs scoreless despite giving up six hits. Junior Chad Hardison had the starting nod, but was relieved by Blake Gallacher midway through the third frame after surrendering five hits and four earned runs. Gallacher was on the mound for four outs before Brule entered.

The loss was charged to Noah Piard, who came in with one out and a runner on in the seventh inning for Corey Collins. Piard (7-3) allowed one earned Bison run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Starter David Bergin lasted 5 1/3, allowing five runs, four of which were earned, on eight hits. Collins tossed one frame, allowing a pair of earned runs on as many hits.

With the win, Oklahoma Baptist registered its first World Series victory since its first appearance in the event in 1989. The Bison qualified in 2006, but were forced out with back-to-back losses.

The Bison held a four-run lead at the end of two innings, only to have Tennessee Wesleyan storm back with four runs in the top of the fourth. Bulldog leadoff batter Stephen Branca opened the sixth frame with a double to left. He moved up to third on Jonny Smith's bunt for a base hit. Smith then moved up 90 feet by stealing second to put runners at second and third with nobody out. Cody Gaskill's ground out to short brought Branca in to score for a 5-4 lead. Cleanup hitter David Bergin delivered a double to right-center, driving in Smith for a 6-4 advantage. A pair of ground outs closed the inning.

On a 1-1 count in the bottom half of the same frame, Daniel Baptista stamped a solo home run to right-center to bring the Bison within one, 6-5. In its next trip to the plate, Oklahoma Baptist punched across a pair of runs courtesy of Michael Sliger's sacrifice fly and a Bam Davis' single to go ahead 7-6. The Bison tacked on another run in the eighth on Sliger's RBI single up the middle.

Both squads pounded out 13 hits in the contest. Five Bison had multiple hits, led by Davis' 3-for-5, two RBI performance. Terrence Buchanan, Sliger and Baptista each collected two hits.

Branca finished with three hits in six at bats and Bergin was 3-for-4 with two runs driven in. Ryan Santos registered a pair of hits and Gaskill was credited with two RBI.