OKLAHOMA CITY – On Saturday, the Stars hosted #16 Concordia University (Neb.) and #22 Bellevue (Neb.) at Denney Crabaugh Field for their first home games of 2026. In total, three games were played at Jim Wade Stadium on Feb. 7, beginning with OCU playing the Bulldogs of Concordia. Secondly, Bellevue and Concordia clashed for a Top-25 showdown before the concluding game, which featured the Stars and the Bruins. During OCU's two games on Saturday, heartbreak ensued as the Stars narrowly lost to both nationally rated opponents. 
 

Game 1
Concordia 8, Oklahoma City 6


Top Performer
Cooper Holtorf: 2-4, R, RBI
 

After a quick and easy one, two, three top of the first inning, OCU's offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. During the bottom half of the opening inning, the Stars' first two hitters collected back-to-back singles. An error aided OCU in scoring Aiden Alexander and Cooper Holtorf, giving the Stars an early 2-0 lead on the Bulldogs. Following the error, Trent Baker connected on the third single of the inning, and two hitters later Baker would score on the Stars' fourth single in the opening frame.  

However, Concordia would build a 5-3 lead in the second inning; the Bulldog offense was aided by five walks and a balk by Stars' starter Tanner Ellis. Concordia paired the OCU mishaps with timely singles. Although Ellis struggled in the second inning, the sophomore from Norman settled in and pitched three shutout innings. Ellis ended up pitching 5.1 innings, throwing 113 pitches, and recording eight punch-outs. 

Oklahoma City made things interesting in the bottom of the fifth after pulling within one run.

The sixth inning got away from the Stars, and OCU allowed Concordia to widen the gap. The Bulldogs tallied three runs on two hits and an error by Oklahoma City. A late two-run homer to right center field by Bronx Lewis gave Concordia an 8-4 lead. 

Freshman Clayton Allen pinch-hit in the bottom of the sixth and connected on a RBI double to left field that scored Eli Hill, but Drew Andersen came in to close the game for Concordia. 



Game 2
Bellevue 9, Oklahoma City 7


Top Performer
Aiden Van Rensum: 1-3, HR (1), R, 6 RBI



During game two, OCU found themselves in a scoreless tie going into the third inning before Bellevue tallied a run on a wild pitch in the top of the third. OCU quickly answered in the bottom of the inning and took a 2-1 lead when Aiden Van Rensum connected on a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Holtorf. 

Spanning the third, fourth, and fifth innings, there were three lead changes and three ties between the Bruins and the Stars. Bellevue tied the contest at two runs apiece on a ball put into play in the infield. Bayler Weaver pinch ran for Heath Brown before Ellis connected on an extra-base hit. Gage Geiger followed the double with a walk, and two batters later, the Bruins pulled their starting pitcher. Van Rensum reached first on an error by the Bruins' shortstop, while both Ellis and Weaver came across home plate. 

With a 4-2 lead intact at the top of the fifth inning, OCU surrendered tying runs on a hit batter with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly to right field by the Bruins. 
 
After going down 5-4, the Stars' offense received a boon from Van Rensum, who struck (not struck out) again; the OCU first baseman connected on a three-run home run, giving the Stars a 7-5 lead going into the final inning. 

Heartbreak and disaster struck the Stars in the seventh inning with two outs. A Bruin base runner reached first safely on a passed ball after striking out. Then another passed ball allowed the Bellevue base runner to advance to scoring position, and one hitter later, an RBI single cut the Stars' lead to a single run. Following the RBI single, the OCU pitching staff allowed two walks to the Bellevue offense. With the game tied 7-7 in the seventh, Oak Held drove in the two go-ahead runs, giving the Bruins a 9-7 lead. 

In the bottom half of the last inning, all three OCU hitters struck out, ending the game. 



Next Up
Oklahoma City plays two more contests on Sunday, Feb. 8, against Concordia and Bellevue. The Stars play the Bruins first at 10 a.m. before their contest against the Bulldogs at 3 p.m. at Denny Crabaugh Field. 

 

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