Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Top Arkansas-Little Rock, 14-8
March 08, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
The Cowboys took an early lead in their first at-bat. Leadoff hitter Corey Brown tripled to right-center field to open the frame, and four batters later, Justin Colbert delivered a two-out RBI single to score Brown and give OSU a 1-0 lead.
That lead did not hold up long as OSU starter Brae Wright got into trouble in the top of the second inning. Wright surrendered a walk to Derek Eilers to open the inning, and Matt King followed with an RBI triple to tie the score. After another walk, Brian Smiley singled to plate King with the go-ahead run. The Trojans would push their lead to 3-1 on a throwing error by catcher Ryan Flavell before Wright finally got out of the inning.
OSU did not trail for long. Steve Ptak led off the pivotal bottom of the second inning for the Cowboys, and by the time the inning ended, coach Frank Anderson's squad had put up nine runs.
Flavell got the scoring started with an RBI double to the left-center field gap to score Ptak. After two walks loaded the bases, Tyler Mach stepped to the plate and delivered a grand slam to left field to put the Cowboys on top, 6-3. Rebel Ridling's RBI single put OSU up by four.
The Cowboys' final runs of the second frame came when Flavell hit his second double of the inning, this one coming with the bases full. All three base runners scored on the play, which gave OSU a 10-3 lead and drove UALR starter Shane Landry from the game.
OSU added three runs to its lead in the fourth inning, with Ptak and Flavell collecting RBIs.
The Trojans cut their deficit to 13-6 in the fifth on an RBI double by Brian Asbill and a two-run home run by Jacob Stover.
Following Stover's blast, Wright settled in and was dominant until the ninth as he retired 11-straight Trojans. The senior southpaw, who hasn't pitched since starting OSU's season opener on Feb. 10, picked up his first win of the season as he struck out three while allowing eight runs, six of them earned.
Flavell paced OSU's offense with a 2-for-5, five-RBI day, while Mach finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs. Ridling, Colbert and Jordy Mercer also had two hits apiece for the Cowboys, who finished with 16 base hits.
OSU will host the Trojans (10-7) again on Wednesday at 1 p.m.
