Box Score (html)
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Bryan Holt went 1-for-2 from the plate, but was responsible for all four runs scored by the SWOSU Baseball team in a 4-3 victory over Southern Nazarene on Friday afternoon in the first game of a three-game Great American Conference series at the SWOSU Athletic Complex.
Southern Nazarene jumped on top of the Bulldogs in the first inning, getting two runs and three hits off of SWOSU starter
Jon Chidester, who got a strikeout to end the inning with two runners on base that prevented further damage.
The Bulldog offense quickly came to the aid of Chidester as they tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Dalton Daniels doubled to lead off the inning and a SNU error set and walk loaded the bases for Holt, who came through with a two run single out into right field to tie the game.
Chidester got settled in on the mound, shutting the Crimson Storm down for the next six innings, allowing SWOSU to build their first lead of the afternoon. The Bulldogs went on top in the third inning as Holt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing
Zach Barton to score from third. SWOSU's next batter,
Haden Houska, lined out to left field with two outs, to end the Bulldogs threat.
After going quickly in the fourth inning, SWOSU again struck offensively in the fifth inning.
Korbin Polston doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning and got moved to third on an error before Holt again stepped to the plate. This time, Holt flied out to center field with a hit deep enough to allow Polston to score from third on the sacrifice fly as SWOSU went up 4-2.
Chidester kept rolling on the hill until the seventh inning, when he allowed two hits and an error led to a run by SNU that made it 4-3 with two innings remaining. That's where the score would stay as
Taylor Weifenbach sat the Crimson Storm in order in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his second save of the season. Chidester got the win, improving 3-3 on the year, with 7.0 innings of work, allowing seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts.
Polston had two hits for SWOSU while Barton scored two runs off of hits by Holt, who was 1-for-2 with four RBI in the effort. Daniels and
CJ Faddis each added hits while
Trent Troxell also scored a run for SWOSU.
"It's nice to pick up a conference win and continue some of our momentum this afternoon" SWOSU Coach
Zack Saunders said following the game. "We got a gutsy performance by
Jon Chidester and some timely hitting, which set the stage for
Taylor Weifenbach to shut the door at the end. We're hoping to keep it rolling tomorrow."
The victory improves SWOSU to 9-12 on the year and 6-7 in GAC play heading into a doubleheader on Saturday at noon that will conclude the series with the Crimson Storm.
