OKLAHOMA CITY -- Fifth-ranked Oklahoma City University used a pair of home runs and a three-run fifth inning to pull out a 5-4 win over 14th-ranked Bellevue University Sunday afternoon at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Stars took an early 1-0 lead on Connor Lynch's RBI ground-out in the first inning.
Galli Cribbs' tallied a two-run single and Joe Mancuso notched a two-run double in the top of the the fifth to put BU on top, 4-1.
Bruin starter Brennan Henry held OCU without a hit until the fifth inning. However, the Stars used an RBI single by Adonis Askew and a two-run home run by Lynch to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom half of the fifth inning.
Neither team scored again until a solo homer by Garrett Foster gave OCU a 5-4 advantage in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Bellevue threatened in the top of the ninth when Cribbs led off the inning with a double to left-center field and advanced to third on a bunt single by Kyle Kinman. The Bruins loaded the bases with no outs when Nate Mullins walked in the next at-bat. OCU ended the threat when Cribbs was thrown out at the plate on a fielder's choice by Aaron Brasher and the Stars secured the win when Mancuso grounded into a double play to end the game.
Steve Sarcone (0-1) took the loss for BU, giving up just one hit, the homer by Foster, while striking out three Stars.
The Bruins (0-3) will travel to Sterling, Kan. on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 21-22, to face seventh-ranked Sterling College in a three-game series.
