ORAL ROBERTS AT NORTHERN COLORADO

GARDEN CITY, Colo. (Interstat) — Oral Roberts and Northern Colorado will meet Saturday afternoon at Jackson Field in a Summit League matchup that pits the league’s top team against its last-place squad.

The Golden Eagles (31-21 overall) have already clinched the series after a 14-2 rout Friday, but the Bears (16-35) denied a sweep Thursday with a 7-6 victory. Saturday’s game is the final regular-season meeting between the two clubs. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. under clear skies with temperatures near 82 degrees.

Oral Roberts has won four of five head-to-head contests this season, including a three-game sweep of Northern Colorado in early April. The Bears’ only win came Thursday when they rallied from a 6-2 deficit.

Right-hander Brendan Asher is scheduled to start for the Golden Eagles. Asher (6.0 innings, 0 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 strikeouts) earned the win Friday, his second strong outing in his past three appearances. He also threw four scoreless innings April 21 at Oklahoma despite taking a no-decision. Asher has struggled at times, allowing five earned runs in two innings against Cincinnati on May 5.

Northern Colorado will counter with lefty Brady Hudson. Hudson tossed a scoreless inning in relief Friday, striking out three. But he has been inconsistent, allowing an earned run in two of his past four appearances, including a one-inning outing April 24 at South Dakota State. Hudson has not started a game since April 19, when he worked 1.1 innings and allowed one earned run at St. Thomas.

The Bears have lost nine of their past 10 games, with the lone win coming Thursday. Oral Roberts has won five of its last seven.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 6-5 Northern Colorado victory.

Oral Roberts’ offense is led by center fielder Makani Tanaka, who homered and drove in two runs Friday. The Golden Eagles rank near the top of the Summit in runs per game.

Northern Colorado’s pitching staff has a league-worst ERA, but the offense has shown flashes, scoring seven runs Thursday to snap a five-game skid.

The game marks the end of the regular season for both teams. The Summit League tournament begins next week.