Oklahoma State Uses Bottom of Ninth to Top Missouri

Cowboy baseball used its final at bat to push past the Tigers 3-2.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:19 pm

By: News On 6

Oklahoma State Uses Bottom of Ninth to Top Missouri

Originally Published: Apr 8, 2011 10:46 PM CDT

Layna Dewell
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

STILLWATER, Okla.—It was a tie ball game in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a base runner on third when Oklahoma State’s Mark Ginther pounded out a grounder to left to plate Zach Johnson and beat Missouri 3-2.

Missouri shortstop Jesse Santo bobbled the hit by Ginther before firing the late throw to first giving OSU the unearned run and victory Friday inside Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

Oklahoma State got the scoring going early and in style against the Tigers.

In the bottom of the first, Devin Shines drew a leadoff walk then Dane Phillips took the plate and smashed a two-run home run over the left field wall to put the Cowboys up 2-0.

Oklahoma State pitcher Mike Strong held the Tigers scoreless until the fifth when Scott Sommerfeld scored on an infield single by Brannon Champagne.

Missouri tied the game in the seventh on a solo home run from Blake Brown, his first homer of the season.

In the eighth, when it seemed Missouri had the upper hand, OSU sent in closer Chris Marlowe.

Jonah Schmidt led off the eighth for Missouri with a single then advanced to second on a passed ball. Pinch hitter Eric Garcia, tapped out a single and just like that the Tigers had runners on first and third with no outs.

Marlowe kept his cool and struck out the next batter and ground out Sommerfeld for out number two. Even though the bases were loaded, Marlowe worked out of the jam using three pitches to strike out Santo.

Marlowe’s 2.1 scoreless innings got him the win. He struck out four and allowed two runs in the victory that moves him to 2-2 on the season.

OSU improves to 6-4 in conference play and 22-8 overall while the Tigers fall to 13-17 and 1-5 on the year.

The two teams return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.