Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Defeat San Diego State, 10-7
March 15, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State built a big lead in the middle innings and then hung on late for a 10-7 win over San Diego State in front of a season-high 1,423 fans at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium on Tuesday.
With the win, OSU improved to 11-4 on the season, while coach Tony Gwynn's Aztecs dropped their sixth-straight contest to fall to 6-16.
The Aztecs took an early 1-0 lead when Tim O'Brien homered to right field in the top of the first inning.
OSU quickly answered in the bottom of the first. Corey Brown led off with a single up the middle and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Ty Wright. Brown then stole third base and later scored on a wild pitch to make the score 1-1.
The two teams remained even over the next three innings as both starting pitchers settled into a groove.
Following the O'Brien homer, OSU southpaw Brae Wright retired 13 consecutive hitters before surrendering a leadoff walk in the sixth, while Aztec starter Lance Sewell (0-1) kept the home team off the scoreboard.
Sewell's success ran out in the bottom of the fifth, however.
Steve Ptak led off the Cowboys' half of the fifth with a bunt single, and after Rebel Ridling struck out, Justin Colbert and Jordy Mercer both walked to load the bases. Brown then delivered a bases clearing triple off the wall in left-center field to make the score 4-1. After another strikeout, Shelby Ford drove in a run with a single, and two batters later, an RBI single by Adam Carr gave OSU a five-run advantage.
OSU added to that lead in the sixth, adding four more runs to the scoreboard. Mercer drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while Tyler Mach picked up two RBIs on a single.
Trailing 10-1, SDSU plated a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. The first came on an RBI single by Curt Mendoza, and the second on a wild pitch by Wright.
The score remained 10-3 until the ninth when the Aztecs gave the host team a scare.
Trent Lare, who relieved Wright in the eighth, walked Brock Ungricht to lead off the final inning and then hit Paul Smyth with a pitch, which prompted OSU head coach Frank Anderson to call on Jeff Breedlove out of the bullpen.
After recording the first out of the inning, Breedlove gave up an RBI single to Mendoza, and Lance Zawadki followed that with a three-run home run over the right-center field wall to make the score 10-7. The rally finally ended when the Cowboys' freshman right hander struck out Joey Huskins and then got Quintin
Wright picked up the win on the mound to improve to 2-0 on the season as he allowed just three runs on four hits in seven innings of work.
Offensively, the Cowboys were led by Brown's 2-for-3 night in which the sophomore drove in three runs and also scored three times.
OSU closes out the series against the Aztecs Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
