Sooners Recover With Win over Bacone

OU was coming off a loss to Dallas Baptist, but put Bacone away late to get back on track.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:21 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Apr 20, 2011 10:48 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer
NORMAN, Okla. – The Oklahoma baseball team recovered from a disappointing loss to Dallas Baptist with a 5-2 victory over Bacone Wednesday.

Oklahoma (27-11, 7-7) starter Ryan Gibson had trouble finding the plate early. He walked a total of three batters in the top of the first, the last of which came with the based loaded to score the game’s first run. Sunny Golloway pulled Gibson after retiring just two batters, and Steven Bruce took over from there.

Bruce pitched out of the bases-loading jam, and the Sooner offense picked things up in the third inning. They scored in three consecutive frames, starting with Garrett Buechele’s RBI single in the third.

Eric Ross then delivered an RBI groundout in the fourth inning to give OU its first lead, but Bacone would not go away. Brandon Jackson drove a run home with a single to tie the game again, but OU finally took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame.

After two quick flyouts threatened to end the inning with no damage done, the Sooners put together a two-out rally. Ricky Eisenburg drew a walk in four pitches, and Casey Johnson drove him home with an RBI double. Cameron Seitzer followed with an RBI single in the next at-bat to give OU a 4-2 lead.

Seitzer added another insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Cale Shambaugh took over on the mound in the eighth and pitched two perfect innings to shut things down and earn his first save of the year.

Bruce earned a win after taking over in the first and allowing only one run on seven hits in 6.1 innings. Lawrence Lasenberry came away with a loss after allowing five runs on nine hits in seven innings.

The Sooners will return to Big 12 play in a three-game series against Nebraska starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday.