Feb. 3, 2006

Box Score

EDINBURG, Texas - Oklahoma scored a pair of go-ahead sixth-inning runs and held off a ninth-inning Texas State scoring threat Friday in a 7-6 opening day win at the UTPA Baseball Classic in Edinburg, Texas.

Texas State freshman shortstop Thomas Field went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs, while junior designated hitter Jared Bunn finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss which dropped Texas State to 0-1 on the year.

Oklahoma opens the year at 1-0 with the tournament win.

Texas State struck first in the three-hour thriller, opening the game with a pair of first-inning runs.

Field found the base path on a throwing error that put him at second base, and was brought home following a Cassidy Dresch sacrifice bunt and a Heath Keel sacrifice fly that put the Bobcats up 1-0.

Kyle Jones followed with a two-out single and a stolen base, and Elliott Babcock brought his outfield counterpart home with an RBI single that put the `Cats up 2-0.

Oklahoma answered in the bottom of the second, plating a run on a Freddy Rodriguez single that brought home Ryan Mottern, but the Bobcats answered and added to their lead in the top of the third when Keel ripped a one-out triple and came home on a Jones sacrifice fly.

Oklahoma would get back within one in the bottom of the third, beginning with a Russell Raley double and a Scott Moore balk that put the Sooner infielder at third. Kevin Smith singled to bring home Raley, and the Sooners loaded the bases with two more singles and one out on the board.

Moore got out of the jam, forcing a pop out and posting a strike out to end the inning with the `Cats up 3-2.

Jared Bunn and Cody Merrell led off the fourth with singles and moved to second and third on a Dawid Bednarek sacrifice ground ball.

Second baseman Pat Crumpton singled to bring in Bunn, and Field followed with an RBI single that brought home Merrell and Crumpton to put Texas State on top 6-2 through three and a half.

The Sooners responded in their half of the fourth plating three runs to get back within one at 6-5. Aaron Ivey and Chuckie Caufield opened the inning with singles and Ryan Rohlinger plated Ivey with a single for the inning's first run.

Caufield was next brought home on a Bobcat throwing error, and the Sooners got their third run of the inning when a Mottern fly ball brought Rohlinger home from third.

Texas State went down in order in the fifth and sixth, and after Oklahoma left two on base to end the fifth inning, the Sooners delivered the game-winning blow in the bottom of the sixth on a home run and a sacrifice fly to go up 7-6.

Smith led off the sixth with the solo long ball, and Mottern scored the game-winning run on Brandon Moss' sac fly.

The Bobcats made their last attempt to tie in the ninth, leading off with a Bunn single and a Merrell fielders' choice that put the Bobcat transfer on first with one out.

Adam Witek came on to pinch run and was moved to third on a pinch-hit single by Luke Cannon, bringing Crumpton to the batters' box. Crumpton lifted a ball into the outfield, where Sooner left fielder Joseph Hughes made the catch and fired the ball toward home plate.

Witek faked a move toward scoring and retreated, but Rohlinger, the Sooner third baseman, cut the throw off from the outfield and dove at the Bobcat pinch runner to end the game on the double play.

Oklahoma starter Daniel McCutchen threw 6.0 innings, giving up four earned runs and striking out two. McCutchen picked up the win to move his record to 1-0 on the year. Justin Fiske picked up the loss after 2.1 innings pitched and two runs earned.

Will Savage picked up the save for the Sooners, while Moore, the Bobcat starter, tossed 3.1 innings and Jarod Garza threw 2.1 innings of shut-out baseball to end the game.

Texas State got RBIs from Field, Keel, Jones, Babcock and Crumpton, while Oklahoma saw five players post two base hits, led by Smith who went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a home run.

Texas State returns to action in the UTPA Classic Saturday at 11 a.m., when the `Cats take on Gonzaga in Edinburg.