ORUTerry Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 ORU 7, No. 10 WICHITA STATE 4: Golden Eagles upset No. 10 Witchita State Tulsa World Link by JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer 4/4/2007 Oral Roberts has won 11 of its last 15 games. Not even premature sprinklers could cool down ORU. The Golden Eagles got a pair of clutch hits and almost five innings of near-perfect relief pitching from freshman Jerry Sullivan to upset 10th-ranked Wichita State 7-4 Tues day night at J.L. Johnson Stadium. Wichita State (24-7) lost its second straight after winning 10 in a row. ORU (15-12) has won 11 of its last 15 games, including back-to-back midweek victories over top-10 teams. Last week, Chance Chapman struck out 17 in a 5-3 victory over then-No. 7 Arkansas. "Feels great," Sullivan said. "Shows us that our ballclub can come together and beat some big-time teams." Sullivan was one of the country's top high school prospects in 2005 out of Budd Lake, N.J. But prior to his senior year, an elbow injury required Tommy John surgery. He missed his senior year in 2006 and was not cleared for fall workouts when he arrived at ORU. He's only now getting back to form. Tuesday, he retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced to earn his first career victory. "He's been enthusiastic," said ORU coach Rob Walton. "He's got a good arm. Good days are in front of him. He came out and threw the ball well tonight. Good to see." Sullivan pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief of freshman Marcus Tack ett. Eric Crichton got the last two outs for his second save. The Golden Eagles got a pair of two-out, two-run doubles -- from Brendan Duffy in the second inning and Jake Kahaulelio in the fourth inning. Brian Van Kirk hit his sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning to put ORU ahead 7-4. In the top of the third, with ORU ahead 3-2 and Tackett delivering to Damon Sublett, the infield sprinkler system kicked on. Sublett's full-count flyout to center field was ruled a no-pitch, and he walked on Tackett's next offering. After a single from Matt Brown, ORU got out of the inning when Tackett got a strikeout and a groundout. It was yet another curiosity in an unusual season. ORU started the year 2-5 and 4-8, but seems to have straightened things out with clutch hitting and more efficient pitching. "We always come out thinking we have nothing to lose; we can play everything out," Kahaulelio said. "The pressure's on them. They have all the hype and it's just Oral Roberts. Yet, behind the Oral Roberts, we have a locker room full of guys that are just as good as any team out there. "Today, I think it showed a little bit of just who we are." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John E. Hoover 581-8384 john.hoover@tulsaworld.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmh8286 Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 I thought we got very solid pitching from our mid-week guys. After the first inning Tackett settled down, and I thought maybe could have been left in a little longer, but what to I know? Sullivan was great in relief. We were talking about what a great pitcher's build he has - tall, long legs, I bet he proves to be a real star for ORU before he's done here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogus Smith Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Oral Roberts continues to have WSU's number BY PAUL SUELLENTROP The Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/240/story/36124.html TULSA -Oral Roberts, as is usually the case, threw something special at Wichita State. Freshman Jerry Sullivan, 14 months removed from surgery on his right elbow, shut down the Shockers with 4 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. ORU defeated No. 10 WSU 7-4 at Johnson Stadium for its third straight win over the Shockers and its eighth in the past 10 games. Shocker pitchers, usually unshakable, gave up leads of 2-0 and 4-3 to the Golden Eagles, who battered WSU for 13 hits. ORU (15-12) took the lead for good against the WSU bullpen with a three-run fourth inning. Two of the runs scored on a two-out double by Jake Kahaulelio off reliever Anthony Capra. Capra gave up a leadoff home run to Brian Van Kirk to start the fifth, giving ORU a 7-4 lead. That was more than enough cushion for Sullivan, who was a top draft prospect out of New Jersey before the elbow injury. WSU (24-7) got rolling in the fourth inning against starter Marcus Tackett with three two-out hits. Derek Schermerhorn's double to left scored two runs and gave the Shockers a 4-3 lead. Tackett walked Damon Sublett, which brought in Sullivan. He retired Matt Brown on a flyball with two on to end the fourth. He allowed a one-out walk in the fifth, but ended the inning with a double play. He retired WSU in order in the sixth and easily handled the heart of the Shocker order in the seventh. WSU's Conor Gillaspie singled to start the eight. Sullivan never wavered, striking out Josh Workman and sitting down Tyler Weber and Tyler Hill. The Shockers, who have lost two straight, provided some suspense in the ninth. Sullivan hit Dusty Coleman to start the inning. Eric Crichton relieved Sullivan with one out. ORU right fielder Brendan Duffy robbed Schermerhorn of extra bases with a diving catch in the gap. Sublett followed with a single to move Coleman to third. Crichton struck out Matt Brown looking to end the game. The Shockers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Andy Dirks, who walked, scored on Sublett's hit-and-run single. Schermerhorn, who singled, scored on an errant throw by Duffy. ORU got those runs back quickly against WSU starter Tyson Fugett, a freshman lefty from Bartlesville, Okla. Fugett, after a 1-2-3 first inning, fell behind hitters in the second and ORU took advantage. Chad Rothford and Van Kirk singled. After a bunt moved the runners up, David Genao smacked a groundball to third baseman Gillaspie, who fumbled the ball, allowing Rothford to score. Adam Younger's single ended Fugett's night. Reliever Jared Simon got a groundball for a force on Van Kirk at home, but Duffy's double to right scored two runs and gave ORU a 3-2 lead. Bad baserunning cost WSU twice in the game. Sublett, running from first, thought a double down the line by Josh Workman was foul in the first and stopped running. He could only make it to third after realizing it was a fair ball. Tackett picked Schermerhorn off first base after he reached base on an error to start the third. Recent Comments Comments can be read here. Let's go Shox, FOCUS on the game. Thats funny truth. They have only lost two games in a row, and... Here we go again. Another Shocker team that peaks early and fades... "Oral Bob threw their best pitchers at WSU as their non-con games... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU Eli Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 I'm starting to think my Texas Rangers would benefit greatly from swapping pitching staffs with ORU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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