Chickasha, Oklahoma | March 27-28, 2026 — Wind swirling, bats cracking, and momentum swinging like a pendulum, the Nelson University Lions battled through a tough Sooner Athletic Conference series against the University of Science and Arts (Okla.). It was a three-game stretch defined by response and a powerful finish.
Game 1 | Nelson 0, USAO 4
The series opener turned into a pitcher's duel early, but Nelson struggled to find rhythm at the plate. The Lions managed just one hit on the afternoon, a lone knock from Joshua Pinter, as USAO's Tyson Noel controlled the tempo from start to finish .
Javier Balderas battled on the mound, striking out four, but a pair of early runs in the first inning and a two-run fourth created a gap Nelson couldn't close. Dylan Zajicek provided stability out of the bullpen with 2.2 scoreless innings, giving the Lions a defensive bright spot despite the shutout loss.
Game 2 | Nelson 8, USAO 9
Game two was chaos in the best and worst ways. Nelson's offense erupted, flashing fight and fire with eight runs on seven hits, but USAO answered every punch in a back-and-forth battle that came down to the final inning .
The Lions exploded for four runs in the second inning, highlighted by RBI production from Odnal Rivera, Drew Ortiz, and Addison Patton. Late in the game, Nelson nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback. A clutch RBI double from Patton and a sacrifice fly from Pinter trimmed the deficit to one in the seventh, putting pressure squarely on USAO.
Despite the late surge, the Lions came up just short in a 9-8 thriller. Rivera reached base multiple times and drove in a run, while Justin Amesquita and Ethan Starks added key hits in a relentless offensive effort.
Game 3 | Nelson 8, USAO 4
Championship response. That's what the Lions delivered in the series finale.
Nelson wasted no time setting the tone, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. The lineup came alive with 12 hits, led by Mitchell Baker's three-hit day and Zeke Velazquez's two-hit, two-RBI performance .
Odnal Rivera sparked the offense early with extra-base impact, while Diego Arcay and Baker delivered timely RBIs to keep the pressure on. Drew Ortiz contributed with multiple sacrifice flies, playing winning baseball in key moments.
On the mound, Reagan Smith was dominant, going seven strong innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out five. Luke Edmonds closed it out, sealing a confident 8-4 victory and giving Nelson a statement finish to the series.
Next Up
- Mar 31 (Tue) | 3:00 PM
- at Wiley University
- Marshall, TX
The grind continues.
Nelson University (formerly SA GU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
