Sooners Battle Back to Win 13-Inning Marathon

Originally Published: Apr 24, 2010 7:14 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The OU baseball team fought through several close calls to force extra frames and defeat Texas A&M 6-5 in 13 innings Saturday.

The Sooners (28-11, 7-8) trailed for almost the entire game, but managed to tie things up in the ninth and take their first lead in the 13th.

Down 5-3 with two outs in the ninth, Garrett Buechele came within one strike of becoming the final out of the game. With a 2-2 count and runners on second and third, Buechele drove a single into right field that scored Caleb Bushyhead and Cody Reine to tie the game at five.

After the Aggies (22-15-1, 7-9-1) got two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Duke entered the game for OU and retired the next two batters to force extra innings.

Duke cruised through the 10th, but hit the Sooners’ second major scare in the bottom of the 11th inning. With runners on second and third, Duke hit Joaquin Hinojosa with a pitch to load the bases. The next batter then worked the count full, leaving the Sooners one pitch away from losing the game a second time. But Duke forced a groundout to end the inning and keep OU alive.

The Sooners threatened in the 12th, but finally added the first run of extra innings in the 13th. Cameron Seitzer connected on an RBI double to give the Sooners their first lead of the game and also gave OU two runners in scoring position with just one out. Max White followed with a flyout, and Buechele was thrown out trying to score from third to finish the inning.

Duke (1-1) cruised through the bottom of the inning, retiring the Aggies in order to clinch the victory and earn his first win of the season. Duke, who is normally the Sooners’ closer, pitched a total of 4.2 innings and gave up four hits while striking out four.

Shane Minks (1-2) was credited with the loss after pitching two innings and surrendering Seitzer’s game-winning RBI.

The Sooners finished with six runs, but they were driven in by just three players. Buechele, Seitzer and Ross Hubbard drove in two apiece. The win was much needed for OU, which had lost five of its previous seven games.

The Sooners and Aggies will complete their three-game series at 1:05 p.m. Sunday. OU will return to Norman to face Dallas Baptist at 7 p.m. Tuesday.