Oklahoma State University Athletics
Baseball Suffers Tough 4-3 Loss
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Baseball
May 14, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - The role of a closer is to come in in the late innings and close the door. Texas Techs Brandon Roberson came on with one out in the eighth after Oklahoma States Lamont Matthews doubled home Billy Gasparino, making it 4-3, and after an intentional walk to Jay McCullough, got pinch hitter Carlos Gautreaux to hit into a double play to end the eighth. In the ninth, Roberson came back to retire the side in order in the ninth, giving the Red Raiders a 4-3 win and the first game of the weekend series.
Cowboy hurler Matt Smith struck out 13 and lasted 141 pitches and into the home half of the seventh, before giving way to senior Dale Pearson. Pearson walked Scott Holzhauer to load the bases, but got a comebacker that bounced off his leg and threw to first to get out of the jam, keeping the score at 4-2 after seven.
Smith hit the 97 pitch mark in the bottom of the fifth, surrendering eight hits while striking out eight Raiders. In the sixth, Smith recorded his ninth, tenth and eleventh strikeouts, but gave up a two-out double to Marco Cunningham that scored Holzhauer who had walked, stole second, and went to third on a wild throw from OSU catcher Ryan Budde. Cunningham, Techs leadoff hitter, solved Smith easily, collecting three hits and three RBIs in his first four at-bats.
"I dont know, said Smith, who dropped to 9-3 for the season. "You have to feel like one of these days some of the luck is going to come to me. Its always a struggle when you play these top teams and when you make any mistakes, it comes back to haunt you.
"I just made one more mistake than Wright (Friday).Wright was pitch-for-pitch with the OSU sophomore, giving up only five hits and striking out five in seven innings, and lasted one out into the eighth, giving up a double to Billy Gasparino and then an RBI-double to Lamont Matthews, making it 4-3. Tech reliever Brandon Roberson came on to get a huge doubleplay in the eighth, getting pinch-hitter Carlos Gautreaux to line one to TT shortstopLance Woodcock, who stepped on the bag and threw to first ending the eighth with the score 4-3."(Texas Tech) is going to come right at you and pitch, OSU coach Tom Holliday said. "If my left handers cannot hit right handed pitching then it might be time to just go with my best players.
"We ve still got two chances at these guys and they are going to throw two more right handers at us. If we dont come out and swing the bat, we may see two more 4-3 or 3-2 games.After the Cowboys took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on a Wright wild pitch and then a balk that put Matthews, who opened the inning with a single, on third with one out for a Trevor Leu RBI-ground out, Tech fired back and took its first lead of the game.A one-out single by Holzhauer and then another single into the sun by Jason Huth, sent Holzhauer to third and Huth to second on OSU left fielder Chris Becerras throw to third. Cunningham then slapped a single to left, scoring two and Tech went up 3-2 after four innings.Tech tied the score in the third, getting an infield single from Cunningham and then a line drive over the head of OSU centerfielder Jimbo McAuliff by Josh Bard for a double that plated Cunningham all the way from first base. But just like in the first two innings, Smith came back to get the next two batters and keep the damage to a minimum.
The Cowboys had a chance to do some major damage in the top of the third with a 1-0 lead, loading the bases for Josh Holliday with one out. But a linerdown the first base line was speared by Tech first baseman OKeefe, who then tagged Gasparino just off first base for an inning-ending twin killing.OSU took a 1-0 lead on Jay McCulloughs ninth homer of the season, a line drive over the left field wall in the top of the second. Tech tried to come right back, getting a seeing-eye single to right from OKeefe and a nicely placed bunt for a hit from Lance , then a sacrifice bunt putting runners at second and third with one out. But Smith came back to record back-to-back strikeouts, keeping it at 1-0 after two innings.Both the Cowboys and Raiders put a man on in the first inning, with speedy Ryan Ruiz reaching third on a throwing error by Smith on a pick off attempt. Smith came back to get a weak ground out to first baseman McCullough to end the first tied at one.
By Roger Moore
NewsPress Sports Editor
R H EOSU 010 100 010 3 7 2Tech 001 201 00x 4 10 1M. Smith, Pearson (8) and Budde. Wright, Roberson (8) and Bard. WP-Wright (9-3. LP-Smith (9-3). Save-Roberson (10). 2B-Bard (26), Cunningham (14), Gasparino (17), Matthews (12); HR-McCullough (9)U-Dave Yeast, Rick Hall, Jeff Henricks, Tom McKinney
