Box Score Feb. 27, 2011
TULSA, Okla. - Joel Greatting doubled his season RBI total Sunday as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball defeated Oral Roberts 6-2.
The Cougars, 1-5, avoided a second straight sweep to open the season. Greatting collected four RBIs for SIUE, including a solo home run in the fourth inning off ORU starter Bryan Smolen.
"That home run he hit was a missile. It left the park in a real hurry," said SIUE Head Coach Gary Collins.
SIUE freshman Travis Felax earned his first collegiate victory with five strong innings. He gave up five hits and walked just one while fanning two ORU batters. "He was very consistent and had a good outing," Collins noted.
The good pitching continued with Luke Ingersoll and Thad Hawkins out of the bullpen. Ingersoll had to work around a walk that opened the sixth inning and an infield error. "Ingersoll got off to a slow start but he picked himself up and pitched well."
Hawkins came into the game in the eighth and kept Oral Roberts at bay. He finished out the game with a perfect 1-2-3 ninth inning. Collins said the Cougars may have found their closer. "He might have won the job," he added.
Timely hitting was the major focus for the Cougar offense, which banged out 11 hits.
SIUE got on the scoreboard early as Chase Green opened the game with a single to third base. After a Mitch Matecki double, Greatting drove both runners in with a single to center field.
"We had timely hitting through the middle of the order," said Collins. Matecki, who is tied for the team lead in hitting at .400 with Greatting, collected three hits. Greatting and Devin Caldwell had two apiece. The Cougars would net three runs in the eighth off five singles. Greatting provided a sacrifice fly, and Matt Highland drove in another on a single. Caldwell would score after Highland's single off an error by ORU right fielder Nick Baligod.
The Cougars are scheduled to play Saint Louis for a 2 p.m. game Wednesday in St. Louis before heading to Daytona Beach, Fla., for the Bethune Cookman Tournament where SIUE faces Michigan State, Boston College and host Bethune Cookman Mar. 4-6.
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