Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Power Past UALR In 16-6 Run-Rule Win
March 08, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
The game was officially called a run-rule in the bottom of the seventh inning after a solo home run by Corey Brown, who was one of five different Cowboys to homer in the game. Brown's shot over the right-field wall gave OSU a sweep of the two-game series and saw coach Frank Anderson's ballclub improve to 9-2 on the season.
Brown was one of five different Cowboys to homer during a game in which OSU collected 18 hits and scored in all but one inning. Seven different Cowboys had at least two hits in the contest, while Shelby Ford, Tyler Mach and Ty Wright each drove in three runs apiece.
UALR (10-8) took an early lead in the top of the first with a two-out rally. Jacob Stover singled off OSU starter Josh Fritsche and after a walk to Derek Eilers, an RBI double by Matt King plated both Trojan runners to make the score 2-0.
The Cowboys answered in their first at-bat with a two-out rally of their own as Mach blasted a two-run home run to center field to tie the score at 2-2.
OSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. Deik Scram led off the frame with a triple, and Rebel Ridling followed with an RBI single to give the Pokes a 3-2 advantage. Two batters later, an RBI single by Jordy Mercer plated another run, and the Cowboys would increase their lead to 5-2 on an RBI triple by Keanon Simon later in the inning.
In the third inning, UALR trimmed its deficit to 5-4 with RBIs from Brett Lawler and Brian Smiley, but OSU tacked on another run in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer by Mach, whose second blast of the game was his team-leading fifth home run of the season.
Entering the bottom of the fourth inning, the Cowboys' lead still stood at 6-4. However, OSU erupted for seven runs in the fourth to take control of the game.
Mercer singled to lead off the Cowboys' half of the fourth and was followed by Brown, who walked. A bunt single by Simon loaded the bases for Ford, who delivered a bases-clearing double into the right-center field gap for a 9-4 lead. OSU added four more runs in the inning on a two-RBI double by Wright and a two-run homer by Scram, the first round tripper of his OSU career.
The home run derby did not end there as the Cowboys clubbed two more long balls in the fifth, with Simon and Wright both smacking solo homers.
OSU looks to continue its offensive prowess over the weekend as the Cowboys travel to Malibu, Calif. for a three-game series against No. 23 Pepperdine. Friday's opener is scheduled for a 4 p.m. (CST) start, while the final two games will start at 3 p.m. (CST).
