Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
St Johns
Cowboys Stomp St. John's 17-4
March 08, 2002 | Cowboy Baseball
March 8, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz.-- - Oklahoma State opened the Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament with a torrid offensive display in a 17-4 win over St. John's in baseball action Friday afternoon at Packard Stadium.
The 12-run rule was in effect and the game was called after seven innings. OSU won its fourth straight game to improve to 9-2 on the year, while the Red Storm dropped to 1-7.
St. John's actually jumped on the board first when centerfielder Charlie Bilezikjian hit a two-run homer off of Cowboy starter Nick McCurdy in the first inning.
The Pokes rallied for three runs of their own in their half of the stanza, two of the runs coming via a two-out single by rightfielder Daylon Monette.
The Red Storm had a rally of their own, scoring a run in the second and another in the third to take a 4-3 lead. The Cowboys were just getting started however, breaking the game open with a six-run third inning.
First baseman Mitch Mitchell drove in the first run of the inning with a bases loaded single to tie the game at 4-4. Catcher Matt Oakes then cleared the bases with a double to right-center to give OSU a 7-4 advantage. Second baseman Nebasett Brown would cap off the inning with a two-RBI single, extending the lead to 9-4.
Relief pitcher Justin Meccage (1-0) came on in the fourth inning and shutdown the St. John's offense, limiting them to just two hits in four innings while striking out six to pick up his first win of the season.
Oklahoma State broke open the game with an eight-run fifth inning keyed by a bases clearing triple by Monette and a two-run homer by Mitchell.
Monette finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBIs while Mitchell was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Leftfielder Jose Virgil also had a nice day at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
The Cowboys will take on UNLV in the second game of the tourney tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT. The Rebels defeated St. John's earlier in the day, 11-5, and are 10-8 on the year. Scheduled to take the mound for the Pokes is sophomore lefthander Shane Hawk.
St. John's 211 000 0 - 4 8 0
Oklahoma State 306 080 X -17 14 1
Klemm, Holmes (3), Holden (5) and Grunenwald, Hershelman, McCurdy, Meccage (4) and Oakes. W- Meccage 1-0, L- Klemm 0-2. HRs- SJU: Bilezikjian (3). OSU: Mitchell (1).
