Sunday, May 01, 2005

Tulsa, Okla. - Oral Roberts swept a Mid-Continent Conference doubleheader from Valpo by scores of 12-3 and 4-1. Jon Rupno had two hits and two RBIs, while Mike Arensdorff added two hits and an RBI for the Crusaders.

The nightcap was a pitcher's duel between Valpo's Nick Mazzone and ORU's Nick Jones for the first four innings. A sophomore lefty, Mazzone limited the Golden Eagles to one earned run and six hits over 5 innings. He struck out three and walked one. Jones allowed one unearned run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. Daniel Greenwalt recorded the final two outs to earn his fourth save.

A four-run fifth by ORU proved to be the difference. Two Crusader errors contributed to three unearned runs in the frame. Kelly Minissale had an RBI single during the ORU uprising.

The Crusaders scored an unearned run in the seventh. With one out, Jeff Rickert walked and John Giusti was hit by a pitch. Jones was relieved by Greenwalt, who recorded an out before Arensdorff reached on the shortstop's error, scoring Rickert. Greenwalt ended the game with a strikeout.

In the opener, the Golden Eagles received a three-hit, five RBI performance from Travis DeBondt. A six-run third inning gave ORU a 7-0 lead. DeBondt's grand slam over the right field wall was the big hit in the frame.

Valpo (11-25, 4-10 Mid-Con) got on the board in the sixth when Arensdorff's infield single plated Rickert, who delivered the first of his two singles to begin the inning.

The Golden Eagles (26-16, 11-1) tacked on another run in the sixth and added two in both the seventh and eighth innings. DeBondt had an RBI triple and Brian Aguailar followed with an RBI double to extend ORU's advantage to 10-1.

Rene Recio, who allowed one run over 7 1/3 innings, hammered a two-run homer for ORU's 11th and 12th tallies.

Valpo scored two runs in the ninth on Rupno's two-run single up the middle.

Recio (2-2), who scattered six hits, struck out nine and did not issue a walk. Matt Gillikin (1-3) suffered the loss, yielding four runs in 2 1/3 innings. The righthander fanned two and walked seven.

Valpo hosts Western Michigan on Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m.