UAFS and Oklahoma Christian are two of the top baseball teams in the Heartland Conference, and it showed during their series-opening, nonconference doubleheader on Friday night.

Oklahoma Christian won a pitcher's duel in the opening game, and UAFS rallied to win 4-3 in the second game to split the doubleheader at Crowder Field.

The Lions (11-5) and Eagles (12-3), who are ranked No. 6 and No. 8, respectively, in the latest NCBWA Division II South Central Region Top 10, will decide the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday, weather permitting.

Severe weather and rain is forecasted for the early morning hours Saturday but is expected to move out of the area mid-morning, which led to the finale's start time being moved back two hours.

Eagles ace Gabe Rodery (3-0) tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout in the opener. He faced just three batters more than the minimum, struck out seven and did not walk a batter over seven innings.

Lions left fielder Tremarcus Koontz and designated hitter Daniel Demondesert were each 1 for 3, and first baseman Kyle Love was 1 for 3 with double. Love led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double but was left stranded at third base.

UAFS starter Javon Rigsby (1-2) allowed one earned run on two hits with one walk, six strikeouts and a hit batter in a complete-game effort. Catcher Callen Crockett and first baseman Alex Garcia had the Eagles' only hits with each going 1 for 3 with singles.

Crockett singled to lead off the top of the seventh inning, and Rigsby hit right fielder Blake Empkey. Rigsby got Garcia to fly out to center before intentionally walking designated hitter Errett Edwards to load the bases and set up a potential double-play.

Instead, third baseman Garrett Wages flew out to left field, which was deep enough to allow Crockett to score the game-winning run. Rigsby then struck out shortstop Berry Hunt to end the inning.

Rodery retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

One big inning was all the Lions needed to win the second game and keep their hopes of their fourth-consecutive series win alive.

Oklahoma Christian led 2-0 on a pair of RBI singles by Empkey and Edwards in the top of the fourth inning, but UAFS responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.

UAFS got a RBI single from third baseman Brooks Sunny and a two-out, two-RBI single by catcher Dylan Hurt during the nine-batter inning, and shortstop Jeb Sample, who had reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a wild pitch to score what turned into the game-winning run.

The Eagles cut their deficit to one run in the top of the sixth inning when Empkey led off with a double and scored one out later on a single up the middle by Edward's off Lions starter Christian Goshen.

Goshen was relieved by Cooper Van Kooten, who retired the final two batters of the inning. The Eagles left the game-tying run on first in the seventh inning and the tying and go-ahead runs at first and second in the eighth inning, but Van Kooten, who made his second-consecutive stellar long-relief appearance, retired the Eagles in order in the ninth inning to end the game.

Goshen (2-0) earned the win, allowing three runs – two earned – on six hits with four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Van Kooten earned his first save, allowing no runs on two hits with three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.

Edwards was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Empkey was 2 for 4 with a double and one RBI, center fielder Hunter Markwardt was 2 for 5 with a double and left fielder Callen Crockett and Garcia were each 1 for 3.

Eagles starter Robbie Suhr (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four runs – all earned – on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts over six innings. Eagles reliever Chase Berberich allowed no runs on no hits with two strikeouts over two innings.

Hurt was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, second baseman Logan Easley was 2 for 3 with a double, Sunny was 1 for 4 with one RBI and Love was 1 for 3.
 
GAME ONE
OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN 1, UAFS 0
Oklahoma Christian    000      000      1          --          1          2          0
UAFS                          000      000      0          --          0          3          0
Rodery and Crockett; Rigsby and Hurt. W – Rodery, 3-0. L – Rigsby, 1-2. HRs – None
 
GAME TWO
UAFS 4, OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN 3
Oklahoma Christian    000      201      000      --          3          8          2
UAFS                          000      400      00X     --          4          6          4
Suhr, Berberich (7) and Bavester; Goshen, Van Kooten (6) and Hurt. W – Goshen, 2-0. L – Suhr, 0-2. Sv – Van Kooten (1).