Purdue Fort Wayne
Oral Roberts
IPFW Falls in Season Finale vs. Oral Roberts
5/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 17, 2008
Fort Wayne, IN - Oral Roberts brought the IPFW baseball season to an end on Saturday afternoon at Mastodons Field. The Golden Eagles swept the four-game series with a final game 11-1 win on Senior Day.
IPFW said good bye to seniors Ben Boehne, Jake Hollander, Ryan VanDriessche, Aaron Kerns, Jared Davis, and starter Cole Uebelhor.
It looked early on like it might be a story-book ending for Uebelhor, who has struggled with control problems and a lack of run support in 2008.
The right hander from St. Anthony, Indiana was outstanding in the first three innings of the ball game. Uebelhor didn't surrender a hit to the Summit League's top team through three, but IPFW failed to capitalize on numerous chances.
IPFW got the lead-off man on in the first three innings and had a runner just 90-feet away from home in four of the first six innings, but just as it played out during the entire series, the Mastodons couldn't get the clutch hit they needed.
After breezing through the ORU lineup the first time through the order, the Golden Eagles began to figure Uebelhor out the second time at bat.
After retiring the first batter in the fourth, Uebelhor gave up a walk and four straight hits as the Golden Eagles pushed four runs across in the frame.
Oral Roberts starter Mark Serrano struggled, but was able to wiggle of the hook, time and time again.
After he worked out of his final jam in the sixth inning, Serrano put it on cruise control.
The Golden Eagles (43-12, 24-4 SL) would eventually break the game open with a three-run seventh and a four-run ninth.
IPFW got its lone run of the contest in the 7th inning on a sacrifice fly from center fielder Jared Davis.
Serrano picked up his fourth win of the season (4-1) pitching 8.0 innings of eight-hit ball. He struck out five and walked none. The run he did give up was unearned.
Reliever Jameson Dunn worked a scoreless ninth.
Uebelhor took the loss for the 'Dons. He tossed 6.1 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits. He fanned one and walked five.
The Mastodons finished their first season in the Summit League at 14-36-1 and 10-17 in conference play.
Oral Roberts, Southern Utah, Western Illinois, and Centenary College will battle for the Summit League Tournament Championship beginning on Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
~Dons~
