Late Rally Dooms ORU Again, 7-6

Chris Elder gave ORU a 5-2 lead with a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning but the Golden Eagles (0-3) couldn’t hang on to the lead. Mark Guest, who relieved starter Seth Furmanek in the fifth inning, allowed a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. One run scored on a single, the other coming on one of catcher Bennett Pickar’s three passed balls.

Trailing 5-4, Florida International tied the game in the bottom of the eighth when T.J. Shantz reached on a third strike passed ball and later scored on a wild pitch by reliever Jared Schlehuber.

The game remained tied through nine innings before the Golden Eagles scored in the top of the 10th.  Brett Sowers led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Nikko Wong. Brett Burch singled Wong to second and Wong came around to score the go-ahead run when Tyler Garewal reached on an error by the third baseman.

With ORU leading 6-5, Florida International stormed back. Tim Jobe drew a lead-off walk fromAlec Smith (0-1), who came on in the bottom of the ninth. After a single and a wild pitch, Smith intentionally walked Jose Behar to load the bases with none out. 

R.J. Davis relived Smith and walked a pinch hitter to force home the tying run. Lammar Guy followed with a sacrifice fly to give FIU a 7-6 victory.

ORU banged out 12 hits on the day as Sowers, Elder and Furmanek had two hits apiece. Furmanek belted a solo home run leading off the second inning.