TWO HUGE RALLIES HELP BASEBALL TO DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP AT OKWU

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – One of the biggest days of the 2026 Avila baseball season occurred on Saturday. Battling tough field conditions and delays, the Eagles used a pair of huge late-game rallies to sweep a doubleheader at Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday, winning 8-5 and 5-4 to take a series sweep over the hometown Eagles.

It was Avila's first single-game win against Oklahoma Wesleyan since 2022 and the first series win against OKWU in program history.

OKWU scored two early runs in game one before Avila cut into it in the fourth inning.

A bases-loaded balk sent Caden Stillwell across the plate to halve OKWU's lead.

Oklahoma Wesleyan took the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth and added another run in the fifth to go up 4-1.

A bases-loaded fielder's choice from Nick Bowers in the top of the seventh gave Avila its second run of the game, but Avila still trailed by two.

OKWU lengthened its lead in the eighth inning.

With just three outs remaining, Avila trailed 5-2.

A walk from Vinny Neilson in the ninth preceded a single from JJ Stubblefield to put two runners on. Aidan Johnson sent a ball to the left centerfield gap to score Neilson as Avila slowly started chipping away.

After a pitching change, Bowers struck out to give Avila two outs.

A stolen base and an errant throw by the OKWU catcher scored Stubblefield to bring Avila to within one, 5-4.

The Eagles scored their third run of the inning on a wild pitch to tie the game at five.

A two-out walk from Isaiah Ramos put runners on the corner for Stillwell. Avila's starting catcher sent a pitch up the middle, scoring Tommy English to put Avila up by one.

After another OKWU pitching change, Joey Reichmuth was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Atherton then doubled to the right field gap, scoring Stillwell and Ramos to put Avila up 8-5 and give the Eagles a six-run ninth inning, with five of the runs coming with two outs.

After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, Aiden Sims sent the next three Oklahoma Wesleyan batters down in order to seal the comeback, 8-5, victory for Avila.

In game number two, OKWU got off to another early lead, scoring one in the second and three in the third. Avila's first run came in the top of the third on a run-scoring error.

A scoreless fourth, fifth and sixth innings saw Avila, once again, down to its final strike for the second-straight game.

In the top of the seventh inning, Avila got a quick leadoff out, which was immediately followed by a double from Atherton. A groundout on the next pitch sent the Eagles down to their final out.

With two outs, Stubblefield scored Atherton on an infield single to chip away.

Avila loaded the bases two batters later after a single from Nick Bowers and a walk by JJ Dain.

English would bring it to within one on a bases-loaded walk and Isaiah Ramos tied the game drawing a hit-by-pitch to bring home Bowers.

With two outs, Avila scored three runs to tie it and still had something left in the tank.

A second-consecutive HBP – this time to Caden Stillwell – gave Avila the lead as the Eagles were staring at their second-straight comeback victory.

All with two outs, the Eagles got an RBI single, a bases-loaded walk and back-to-back bases loaded HBPs to secure a four-run, seventh-inning comeback.

Avila made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, allowing consecutive singles to open the inning.

Corbin Hamman – working on his fourth shutout inning out of the bullpen – was there to keep the door shut.

A flyout to left, an infield popup and a bases-loaded, full-count strikeout gave Avila the come-from-behind, 5-4 victory as the Eagles came pouring out of the dugout to celebrate.

In game two, Hamman threw 4.0 innings, allowing four hits and striking out four OKWU batters to give his offense a chance at the comeback.

Avila will end its season next weekend with a three-game set with Ottawa. First pitch of a Friday doubleheader is at 12 PM.

(photo credit: Rhett Rogers)