Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Baseball Tops Western Illinois, 5-2
February 26, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
Three unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning were the difference as the Cowboys improved to 4-1 on the season in front of 1,210 fans.
With the game tied at 2-2, WIU pitcher Quinn Leath surrendered back-to-back walks to Adam Carr and Ty Wright to open the Cowboys' pivotal inning. A bunt single by Rebel Ridling loaded the bases with no outs for OSU and drove Leath from the game.
Aaron Madill relieved Leath and finally got the first out of the inning, but then defense cost the visitors as third baseman Nick Simmons made an errant throw home after fielding a ground ball by Jordy Mercer. Simmons' throwing error allowed both Ridling and Wright to score, giving the Cowboys a 4-2 advantage.
OSU tacked on its final run later in the seventh on Deik Scram's RBI sacrifice fly to center field, which plated Justin Colbert.
That was all the run support Cowboy hurler Jeff Breedlove would need. A true freshman from Muskogee, Breedlove came on in relief of starter Jared Swart and pitched the final 6.2 innings to earn the first win of his OSU career. Breedlove did not allow a run while striking out three and allowing only three hits.
Scram, Ridling and Mercer each collected two hits apiece for the Cowboys, who close out the series against WIU (2-5) Sunday at 1 p.m.
