Box Score 3

SAN ANTONIO (Jan. 28, 2017) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints baseball team opened the season with a three-game series against the No. 7-ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) Drovers, winning two.

Behind strong starting pitching, a deep bullpen and timely hitting, the Saints defeated the Drovers 6-5 in extra innings in the first game and 5-4 in the third game. The Saints' left five runners stranded in a 1-3 loss in the second game.

Game 1

The Saints overcame a 5-9 deficit in hits by taking advantage of five USAO errors for the 6-5 win. OLLU's pitching staff and defense consistently got out of trouble as the Drovers left eight baserunners stranded.

USAO struck first with runners on first and third and two outs, with Randy Ventura stealing second base and Frankely Gonzalez scoring on the throw to second. OLLU scored two runs in the second with both Jose Diaz (FR/Pinar del Rio, Cuba) and Ryan Ramsey (SO/Grapevine, Texas) scoring on the same passed ball off a low pitch.

All-American Dillon White gave USAO a 3-1 lead with a two-run homerun in the third inning off starting pitcher Jordan Hackett (JR/San Antonio, Texas) and Evan Walter scored on a single to shallow centerfield by Kenniel Rivera. Chase Smith (SR/La Porte, Texas) relieved Hackett in the fourth inning.

After the Saints' Orlando Collado (SR/Bronx, N.Y.) scored in the fifth inning and the Drovers answered in the sixth, OLLU's Darius Patton (SR/San Antonio, Texas) scored on a Zac Garcia (JR/Baytown, Texas) single. Russell Brown (JR/San Antonio, Texas) then tied the game on an error in the seventh inning.

With bases loaded at the top of the eighth and one out, Smith induced a grounder from the Drovers' Greg Barnette, forcing Gonzalez out at home, and struck out Walter to retire the side.

Collado tripled to deep right-center with one out in the bottom of the eighth and Seth Garcia (JR/San Antonio, Texas) drove him in with a walk-off single to shallow left field.

Seth Garcia was 1-for-2 with one RBI and Orlando Collado scored two runs for the Saints. Chase Smith got the win with five strikeouts and one earned run in five innings pitched.

Game 2

In the second game, the Saints managed only one run on six hits and allowed a run on the game's only error.

USAO scored on its first at-bat, with White reaching home on a single from Wyatt Hull with two outs. Connor Kalisky (SR/San Antonio, Texas) led off the second inning with a double and later scored on a Jacob Pool (SO/Leander, Texas) triple to deep right field for the Saints' only run.

The Drovers scored again with runners on first and third, sending Wyatt Hull to steal second base and scoring Barnette from third on Zac Garcia's wild throw to second. USAO's Gonzalez scored on an Alexander Cortes single to shallow center in the sixth.

Pool was 2-for-3 with the Saints' lone RBI. JB Martinez (SO/San Antonio, Texas) started and pitched four innings with five strikeouts and one earned run. Tony Esparza (FR/Spring, Texas) got the loss, pitching two innings, giving up three hits and one earned run.

Game 3

The third game went down to the wire, with both teams getting 10 hits and the Drovers committing three errors to the Saints' two.

Cortes scored in the first inning for the Drovers but the Saints answered with two runs in the second, with Pool doubling to deep left-center to start the inning, Jose Diaz following with a single and two walks bringing in the Saints' first score. Matt Mihalov (SO/Houston, Texas) knocked in the Saints' second run with a single to right field.

The Drovers tied the game in the third with Henry Rodriguez scoring on a White single up the middle.

After Ventura scored for USAO at the top of the sixth inning, the Saints answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-RBI double from Collado, who was thrown out trying to reach third, to end the inning.

Starting pitcher Brandon Cogbill (SR/Lake Dallas, Texas) was relieved after allowing a run to start the seventh inning. Oigres Garcia (JR/Laredo, Texas) took over with one out and forced a pop-out from Walter. Caden Jacinto then replaced O. Garcia to face White, striking out the All-American.

Sammy Sauceda (FR/Deer Park, Texas) scored in the bottom of the eighth on what turned out to be the game-winning RBI from Mihalov. Jesus Ramirez (SO/Quitman, Texas) retired three of the four batters he faced at the top of the ninth inning to pick up the save.

Mihalov was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Collado was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Pool finished the game 2-for-4 with one run scored. Cogbill pitched 6.1 innings for the Saints, striking out eight and giving up two earned runs.

What's next

The Saints will travel to Texarkana, Texas, on Feb. 2, facing Williams Baptist College. They will remain there to play Evangel University on Feb. 3 and end their road trip on Feb. 4, facing Evangel University at 2 p.m. and Texas A&M-Texarkana at 5 p.m.

Our Lady of the Lake University is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016-2017 as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The University began competing in the NAIA in men's soccer and volleyball in 2007. A year later, they added women's soccer, golf and tennis. In 2009, the Saints began competing in cross-country, softball and basketball. In 2014, OLLU added two more sports — baseball and track and field. There are now 13 intercollegiate athletic teams at OLLU. All athletic alumni and up to two family members will receive free admission to basketball and volleyball games throughout the season. Baseball is not included in this special offer. All other home games are free and open to the public.