Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma
Baseball Falls To Oklahoma 3-1
April 22, 2000 | Cowboy Baseball
April 22, 2000
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma freshman pitcher Austin Mix worked seven innings and Jeff Bajenaru once again closed the door as the Sooners took game two of the series, 3-1, in front of 12, 300 fans at Oklahoma City's Bricktown Ballpark on Saturday.
OSU stranded 13 runners in the game, but every time OSU threatened, Mix found an out pitch.
"Some of the best stuff I've seen this year," said OSU senior Carlos Gautreaux, who went 0-for-4. "One of the best sliders I've seen. His slider had a lot more bite than a lot of guys we have seen this year.
Richard Park blasted his second homer of the series in the fourth giving OU a 1-0 lead. The Sooners added another run in the next inning when Park knocked a RBI single to left giving Oklahoma a 2-0 lead.
The Cowboys tried to rally in the eighth when Toby Rhodes drew a walk off reliever Rocky Cherry to open the inning. Rob Watson then singled Rhodes to second and a bunt by Roy York loaded the bases. Sooner catcher Chris Haggard fielded the bunt and tried to throw out Rhodes at third but was late with his throw. Ryan Budde then hit a sacrifice fly to left scoring Rhodes and cutting the lead to 2-1.
OSU (27-16, 9-11 Big 12) could not score another run in the inning while the Sooners (30-15, 13-7) added an insurance run in the eighth thanks to a double by Sean Murphy, who then stole third, and a pinch-hit single by Chad Cochell.
Mix earned the win with seven innings of shutout ball and improved to 9-1 on the year. Jeff Bajenaru picked up his second save of the series with 1.1 innings of perfect relief.
"We had a couple of chances early to get to Mix, but when he needed that slider he went and found it," OSU coach Tom Holliday said. "A couple of those things disappeared on us."
Matt Smith took the loss to drop to 5-6 on the season. The junior worked 7 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits, but seven strikeouts kept OSU in the game.
The two teams will meet in the series finale tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. The Cowboys will throw righthander Frank Bludau while the Sooners will counter with southpaw Michael Bradbury.
Oklahoma State 000 000 010 -- 1 5 0 Oklahoma 000 110 01X -- 3 9 0Smith, M., Rushing (8) and Budde, Mix, Cherry (8), Bajenaru (8) and Haggard, Witcher. W- Mix 9-1, L- Smith, M. 5-6, Sv- Bajenaru (14), HRs: Park (12)
