Sunday College Baseball Roundup

No. 18 Cowboys Smash Oakland In Series Finale

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State claimed a series win over Oakland Sunday as the 18th-ranked Cowboys cruised to an 11-1 victory in the finale at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

Eight different Cowboys collected hits in Sunday's contest, led by Zach Fish's 3-for-3, three-RBI day, while Garrett Williams racked up a career-high four RBIs. The offensive outburst helped Michael Freeman earn his first-career win with four shutout innings in relief.

Coach Josh Holliday's ball club wasted no time taking command of the scoreboard as it put up nine runs in the first two innings.

OSU rallied for four runs on four hits in its first at bat. Tim Arakawa led off with a single, and an error and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out. Dustin Williams then provided the Cowboys' first run with an RBI single. Fish followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0, and two batters later, a two-RBI single off the bat of Garrett Williams put the home team up by four.

In the second inning, Walton recorded his seventh RBI of the weekend when he drew a bases loaded walk before an RBI groundout by Dustin Williams put OSU up, 6-0. Up next, Fish delivered two more RBIs with a single, and Garrett Williams picked up another RBI with a sacrifice fly.

With plenty of run support, a trio of Cowboy pitchers allowed just one run on seven hits while striking out 13.

In his first action of the season, starter Vince Wheeland worked three innings before Freeman came on in the fourth and dominated over the next four frames. The junior southpaw gave up only two hits while striking out seven.

Blake Battenfield worked the final two innings, striking out a pair and surrendering just one hit.

OSU will be back in action this week at the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic in Surprise, Ariz. The Cowboys open tourney play Thursday against Gonzaga and will also face Manhattan, Santa Clara and Arizona State.

Sooners End Weekend With Loss to Ohio State

ORLANDO, Fla. – Freshman right-hander Jake Elliott pitched six solid innings in a seven inning effort, but the University of Oklahoma baseball team was unable to overcome a three-run fourth in a 6-3 loss to Ohio State at Jay Bergman Field, Sunday afternoon. The loss was the second straight for the Sooners who dropped to 5-3, while the Buckeyes improved to 5-2.

Elliott (1-1) allowed four runs; three earned on four hits and struck out eight, while not allowing a single walk. He was perfect through the first three frames, but ran into trouble in the fourth.

A hit by pitch and a single put two men on to leadoff the inning. OSU left fielder Patrick Porter then singled in a run and a second came in as redshirt-junior right fielder Taylor Alspaugh attempted to throw out the runner going first to third, but his throw found its way to the Buckeye dugout, advancing the runner home and giving Ohio State a 2-1 lead. A third run came in on a wild pitch as Porter darted home. Elliott then struck out a pair and induced and inning-ending groundout.

The Sooners climbed back into the game with a run in the sixth and a run in the seventh. Sophomore center fielder Craig Aikin singled with a runner on second to cut the lead to two in the sixth. In the seventh, senior second baseman Hector Lorenzana reached on an error to get the inning started and Alspaugh singled; setting up a sacrifice fly for sophomore designated hitter Kolbey Carpenter.

The Buckeyes added two runs off sophomore righty Ralph Garza Jr. in the eighth. He pitched two innings and struck out three.

Oklahoma had the first run of the game as it stole the lead in the first inning. Sophomore left fielder Hunter Haley hit a one-out singled, stole second and moved to third as freshman third baseman Sheldon Neuse reached on an error. A double steal was then in order as Haley successfully stole home to put OU on the board.

The win went to lefty Zach Farmer (1-1). He pitched 5.1 innings and allowed two unearned runs on two hits and two walks, while striking out a pair. Preseason All-American righty Trace Dempsey locked down his second save of the season in 1.1 innings out of the bullpen.

For the game, Porter led the way for Ohio State on a 2-for-4, two-run day. Third baseman Jacob Bosiokovic finished 2-for-5 with a run and a RBI.

The Sooners are on the road again this week for the ASU Tournament in Surprise, Ariz. Oklahoma takes the field against Manhattan Thursday at 5 p.m.

ORU ties double plays record in 4-1 loss at Texas Tech

Lubbock, Texas – The sixth inning spoiled the Oral Roberts University baseball team's defensive efforts on Sunday as Texas Tech completed a three-game sweep of the Golden Eagles in Lubbock, Texas, 4-1.

ORU fell to 1-5 this season while the Red Raiders improved to 6-1. The same two teams will meet in Tulsa on April 29 at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

The ORU infield has had a good start to the season defensively, and that trend continued on Sunday with the Golden Eagles turning five double plays to tie a school record, done two other times, last against Centenary on May 13, 2007. The Golden Eagles have turned 11 double plays through the first six games, the most since the 2004 ORU squad.

Brandon Healy picked up two of the Golden Eagles' eight hits and scored the lone ORU run in the game. Emmanuel Forcier, Matt Brandy, Austen Colt, Logan Domenico, Anthony Sequeira and Tyler Boss each had singles in the game.

Gavin Glanz (1-1) took the loss in a five inning three run effort. All three of Glanz's runs were unearned, with Nathan Garza allowing a hit and a run, also unearned, in relief. Jordan Romano threw the final two innings for the Golden Eagles.

Ryan Long led the Red Raiders with two hits and two runs driven in. Entering in the fourth after Tech starter Chris Sadberry was hit by a line drive, Cameron Smith (3-0) earned the victory. Johnathan Tripp earned his first save of the season in two innings on the mound.

Tech jumped out to a 1-0 lead in bottom of the second as Eric Gutierrez and Adam Kirsch reached on back to back singles. After both runners advanced on a passed ball, Long drove in Gutierrez with a sacrifice fly to center.

In the top of the fourth, the Golden Eagles rattled off three straight singles as Healy, Brandy and Boss reached to load the bases with one out. After a battle at the plate, Domenico drew a walk to push in Healy from third to tie the game at one.

The sixth inning proved troublesome for the Golden Eagles for the second straight contest as the Red Raiders plated three runners on four hits to take a 4-1 lead.

With the bases loaded, Gutierrez was hit by a pitch to push in the first run of the inning. Kirsch followed with a grounder to short, starting the fourth double play of the afternoon for the Golden Eagles, but it allowed Bryant Burleson to score from third, extending the lead to 3-1.

The next batter, Long, capped the scoring with a single through the right side to score Barrios to make the lead 4-1 for Tech.

ORU returns home on Tuesday against Missouri State for the first of a five-game home stand. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at J.L. Johnson Stadium.