ADA, Okla. – Following Friday's series opening loss, the East Central University baseball team bounced back with an electrifying doubleheader sweep over Oklahoma Baptist University to clinch the GAC series victory on Saturday at Ken Turner Field.
 
It was a thrilling atmosphere in Ada as the Tigers showcased a stellar pitching and offensive effort to pull off their first GAC series win since April of 2022.
 
"Our coaching staff is so proud of the boys and how they competed," Head Coach Kevin Paxson said. "The one thing we as a staff have been preaching the last few weeks is just to forget about the scoreboard and compete pitch to pitch. It would have been very easy to lay down after the ninth inning from Friday and when we were trailing earlier in game two, but so many players stepped up and answered the ball. After getting game two of the series, there was no doubt in my mind that Cal Birchfield would give us a shut down performance like he did. That is who he is and what he is all about. I am very proud of everyone in the program this week."
 
Despite a tough 28-14 loss in the series opener, where a challenging ninth inning saw OBU tally 11 runs for the victory, the Tigers remained competitive, trailing only 17-14 before the final inning. Nevertheless, ECU achieved a season-high of 20 hits, eight of which were split between Nick Blankenship and Chris Griffis. Other notable contributions came from Tanner Collins with three hits and Tyler Akers, Austin Wood, and Britton Sperry adding two hits apiece.
 
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Tigers continued their offensive momentum from the day before, rallying from a 14-8 deficit in the sixth inning to secure a dramatic walk-off victory in the tenth after Tanner Collins' single to the gap scored Dione Allen at home for the 16-15 win. The triumph snapped OBU's six-game win streak.
 
The Tigers held an early 7-3 advantage after RBIs from Chris Griffis, DeAngelo Morales, Christian Whitaker, Austin Wood, and Nick Blankenship plated ECU's first batch of runs. The Bisons narrowed the lead to 7-6 with three runs in the following frame, but ECU responded in the home half, with Morales scoring off Britton Sperry's fielders' choice to maintain an 8-6 lead.
 
One scoreless inning went by before OBU surged ahead with eight runs to take a sudden 14-8 lead. However, ECU fought back, immediately answering in the bottom of the frame with an RBI double from Sperry that scored Allen before coming home off the RBI single from Collins to trail 14-10. Christian Whitaker then delivered a crucial 2 RBI triple to right center, brining in Akers and Collins, and with a groundout to shortstop, Whitaker scored  to close the gap to 14-13.
 
The Bisons managed one more run in the top of the eighth inning to extend their lead 15-13, but Dione Allen came through in the home half with a clutch 2 RBI double down the left field line that scored Griffis and Morales to tie the game 15-15 heading into extra innings.
 
After holding OBU in the top of the tenth inning, Allen singled to center field to put the winning run on base. With two outs, Tanner Collins then stepped up to the plate, delivered the ball to center field, and with a bobble in the outfield, Allen scurried all the way home for the 16-15 walk-off win.
 
Christian Whitaker, Dione Allen, and Tanner Collins were big at the plate with three hits apiece while Nick Blankenship, Chris Griffis, DeAngelo Morales, and Britton Sperry contributed two hits each.
 
Price Daube got the no decision but demonstrated a strong start on the mound, pitching five innings that allowed ECU to take an early lead. Justin Chitty did his part in three innings in relief, while Beau Driggers was crucial in allowing no runs or hits in the final two innings that helped ECU seal the win and his second of the season.
 
In game three, ECU dominated from the start, scoring three runs in the first inning that propelled them to the end.
 
The inning began with Christian Whitaker notching his second triple of the day, setting the stage for Nick Blankenship's RBI single to right field that brought Whitaker home for the Tiger's first run. Then, Chris Griffis singled in the opposite direction, allowing Blankenship to cross home plate following a mishap by the Bisons in the outfield. With two outs, Kale Williams added to the lead with a single to right field, capitalizing on another OBU error that sent Griffis across the pate, extending the lead to 3-0.
 
OBU would score one run in the sixth, but starting pitcher Cal Birchfield and the Tiger defense held the Bison in check all seven innings, allowing just six hits for their third lowest total this season. Birchfield's stellar performance earned his second consecutive win on the mound.
 
Christian Whitaker and Britton Sperry had multi hits in the game with two apiece while the Tigers' other hits came from Dione Allen, Nick Blankenship, Chris Griffis, Kale Williams, and Gage Boatman.
 
The ECU baseball team now prepare for their next GAC match against Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva next weekend.