Saturday College Baseball Roundup

Cowboys Earn Another Comeback Win

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State rallied for its 16th come-from-behind win Saturday as the No. 13 Cowboys defeated Kansas, 5-3, to secure a series win at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

With the victory, OSU clinched its fourth-straight Big 12 Conference series win and maintained its spot atop the league standings, improving to 10-4. The Cowboys are now 28-11 overall.

A three-run eighth inning, highlighted by Tim Arakawa's go-ahead home run, propelled OSU to the win, and senior Brendan McCurry made history as he became the Cowboys' career saves leader with his 18th. The save was McCurry's 10th of the season, which also tied him for the most saves in a single season in school history along with his older brother, Randy (2009), Marques Davis (1997) and Dennis Livingston (1982).

OSU trailed for much of the contest as the Jayhawks (23-18, 6-8) scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning off Tyler Buffett and held that 2-0 lead until the sixth despite the Cowboys loading the bases in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Holliday's ballclub finally got on the scoreboard against KU starter Robert Kahana in the sixth inning. Zach Fish got things started with a one-out double off the wall in left-center field, and Arakawa followed with an RBI single up the middle to make the score 2-1.

KU regained its two-run advantage in the seventh. After back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt to open the inning off OSU reliever Vince Wheeland, the Jayhawks got a sacrifice fly from Justin Protacio to go up 3-1.

But the Cowboys cut into their deficit again in the bottom of the inning, getting a two-out RBI double from Tanner Krietemeier before Saulyer Saxon was thrown out at home plate trying to score the tying run to keep it at 3-2.

In the decisive eighth, Fish again got things going, this time reaching on a throwing error by KU third baseman Aaron Hernandez. Arakawa made the Jayhawks pay when he lined a Stephen Villines offering down the right-field line and just over the wall to give OSU its first lead of the day at 4-3.

Following Arakawa's homer, Conor Costello walked and advanced to second on a groundout, bringing up Craig McConaughy, who delivered a key insurance run with a double to push OSU's lead to 5-3.

In its final at bat, KU managed a pair of singles against McCurry, but Protacio grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.

McCurry's save moved him past Jordy Mercer, who racked up 17 saves in an OSU career that spanned from 2006-08, though the second-year Cowboy downplayed the feat.

OSU will go in search of its second consecutive series sweep Sunday at 1 p.m.

OU Lets Lead Slip In Loss To WVU

NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Oklahoma baseball team surrendered nine straight runs as a four-run lead disappeared in a 9-5 loss to West Virginia in front of 1,211 at L. Dale Mitchell Park, Saturday afternoon. The Sooners dropped to 25-16 overall and 5-7 in the Big 12, while the Mountaineers improved to 19-15 and 4-7.

Junior catcher Mac James blasted a two-run home run in the first inning for his fifth of the season and second in as many games. Sophomore left fielder Hunter Haley followed with a solo shot to left field to stake OU to an early 3-0 lead. It marked the second time this season that the Sooners have hit back-to-back home runs.

In the second, freshman designated hitter Niko Buentello led off with a base hit up the middle and came around on a base hit by sophomore center fielder Craig Aikin to left field that pushed the OU lead to 4-0.

Sophomore left-hander Jacob Evans cruised through the first four innings for Oklahoma as he struck out four and stranded all four runners to reach base. He ran into trouble in the fifth when West Virginia loaded the bases with two outs on three consecutive infield singles, but finished the frame unscathed.

The Mountaineers offense then hit high gear in the sixth beginning with a three-run home run to left by catcher Cameron O'Brien that cut the lead to 4-3. West Virginia went to work on the Sooner bullpen for three more runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and two in the ninth.

The game was tied in the seventh when left fielder Jacob Rice found a couple holes up the middle on a groundball base hit that grazed off the glove of the OU pitcher and second baseman. The Mountaineers promptly took the lead on a base hit through the left side by right fielder Brad Johnson and pushed the lead to 6-4 on a pinch-hit double off the base of the 411' mark in center by Jackson Cramer.

West Virginia added a solo home run by third baseman Michael Constantini in the seventh inning.

Having given up nine unanswered and trailing 9-4, Oklahoma staged a brief rally in the bottom of the ninth. Freshman first baseman Austin O'Brien hit a lead-off double to right field and Buentello's third single of the day put runners on the corners with no outs. O'Brien came in on a sacrifice-fly by sophomore pinch-hitter Kolbey Carpenter, but that was all the Sooners could push across.

Evans pitched a career-high 5.2 innings in a no-decision as he scattered 11 hits and allowed three runs, while striking out four and not surrendering a walk. Senior right-hander Kindle Ladd dropped to 3-2 with the loss. He was hit for three runs on four hits in one inning with one out.

Right-hander Corey Walter lasted four innings in the start for West Virginia. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and a walk with one strikeout. Fellow right-handers Ryan Tezak (2-0) took the win in 2.2 innings of work and Sean Carley recorded the save in 2.1 innings.

Johnson finished the day 4-for-4, all singles, with two runs, one RBI and one walk. Center fielder Bobby Boyd went 4-for-5 with one run scored and Rice went 3-for-4 with a run and a RBI at the dish.

For the Sooners, Buentello was 3-for-4 with a run, while Aikin went 2-for-3 with two walks, a run and a RBI.

Oklahoma returns to action Tuesday at 6 p.m. at home against UT Arlington. Admission to the game is free.

Trevino's Blast Not enough In ORU's Extra-Inning Loss

TULSA, Okla. – Jose Trevino launched his second home run of the series on Saturday afternoon to send the game into extra innings, but Houston Baptist plated two runs in the 10th to avoid a three-game sweep with an 11-10 win at J.L. Johnson Stadium.

ORU fell to 21-18 overall and 9-9 in Southland Conference play, while HBU moved to 17-19 and 7-11 in the conference.

Trevino and Tyler Boss each finished the game with one hit and three RBI's. Logan Domenico led the Golden Eagles with three hits and scored twice, and Matt Brandy reached safely twice, driving in two runs and scoring twice.

After entering in the ninth and sitting the Huskies down in order, Jordan Romano (2-3) allowed two runs on four hits in the bottom of the 10th to take the loss. Pepe Gomez struggled in his start on the mound for the Golden Eagles as he pitched four innings, allowing five runs on nine hits.

The Huskie offense had no trouble reaching base, out hitting the Golden Eagles 20-12. Jordan McCoy was perfect at the plate with five hits, including a three-run home run, and scored twice. Curtis Jones, Bradley Brown and Josh Martinez each had three hits.

Despite blowing the save in the eighth, Dylan Zarosky (3-1) earned the win after going 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Kobie Hajdik got the final two outs in the 10th for the save.

The Golden Eagles got on the board first in the bottom of the third as Austen Colt scored from second on an infield single by Brandy, and Brandy scored two batters later on a single to right by Boss to make it 2-0.

But the Huskies scored eight unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings. With two men on base, Martinez singled to right field to score a pair of runs. Later in the inning, Thomas Clay singled to center to drive in Martinez to take a 3-2 lead after four innings.

The scoring continued in the fifth when McCoy sent the first pitch of his at bat over the wall in left for a three-run home run to give the Huskies a 6-2 lead. A couple batters later, Zach Nehrir scored on a squeeze play with Clayton Vaughn at the plate and Clay reached on an error in the next at bat that allowed Samm Wiggins to scored, making it an 8-2 contest.

In the sixth, Joey Migliaccio singled through the right side to score Anthony Sequeira. But the Huskies answered in the top of the seventh on a Clay that scored Wiggins to make it a six run deficit yet again, 9-3.

the Golden Eagles began to chip away at the Huskie lead as Boss picked up his second RBI of the game in the seventh, reaching on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded that pushed across Domenico to cut the lead to 9-4.

ORU used five runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at nine. With the bases loaded, Domenico beat out a double play attempt at first that allowed Migliaccio to score. Brandy followed with a single up the middle to bring home Colt to make it a 9-6 game.

With two outs and two men on, Trevino unloaded on a 3-2 pitch down the middle for a three-run home run out to left to tie the game at nine. It was Trevino's seventh home run and 32nd RBI of the season.

After a scoreless ninth by both clubs, HBU took a 11-9 lead in the top of the 10th as Martinez singled up the middle, bringing home Jones and Nathan Schwertner.

The Golden Eagles had one last chance in the bottom of the 10th as Boss came to the plate with the bases loaded. Hajdik entered the game for the Huskies to pitch, inducing a sacrifice fly to center by Boss to cut the lead to 11-10, before getting the final ORU batter to ground out.

ORU has a couple of days off before they host to in-state rival No. 13 Oklahoma State on Tuesday at J.L. Johnson Stadium. First pitch between the Golden Eagles and Cowboys is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.