Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys? Win Streak Snapped In 10-Inning Loss
March 08, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
OSU took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after Corey Brown walked, advanced to second on an error, stole third and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Mach.
The Matadors answered in the top of the second frame, putting up five runs against OSU freshman Joe Kent.
In his first career collegiate start, the Cowboy southpaw opened the second inning by walking James Scott. A single and a hit batsman loaded the bases, and Kent then hit Alex Bardeguez with a pitch to bring home a run and tie the score at 1-1. A wild pitch allowed two more runs to score before an RBI groundout by Johnny Coit and another walk drove Kent from the game.
CSUN wasn't finished, however, as Cowboy reliever Matt Gardner gave up a two-RBI double to Jorge Andrade, Jr. to make the score 5-1.
Trailing by four, OSU would cut the deficit to 5-3 in the fourth inning as a double by Adam Carr brought home a pair of Cowboy runners. But CSUN tacked on another run in the fifth on a solo home run by James Scott to make the score 6-3.
The Cowboys still trailed 6-3 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, and after CSUN pitcher Jimmy Brettl retired the first two OSU batters, things looked good for the visitors. However, Jordy Mercer singled to center field and Brown walked to bring the tying run to the plate in the form of Ty Wright. And Wright would deliver, crushing a Brettl offering over the wall in left field for a game-tying home run.
Wright's homer brought up Shelby Ford, who promptly blasted a shot off the top of the left-field wall for a double. Ford's hit missed clearing the wall for a walk-off home run by approximately a foot. Mach followed Ford and reached first when he was hit by a pitch, but the Cowboys' rally ended when Deik Scram struck out.
As quickly as OSU seized momentum in the ninth, the Matadors took it right back in the top of the 10th frame.
Gardner recorded the first out of the inning but hit the next batter with a pitch and was pulled from the game. Josh Fritsche came out of the Cowboy bullpen and walked the only batter he would face before head coach Frank Anderson called Jeff Breedlove to the mound.
The Matadors loaded the bases when Breedlove committed an error on a grounder by Paul Wilson. OSU followed that error with another one, and that miscue proved to be very costly as first baseman Rebel Ridling bobbled a ground ball hit by Richard Cates and then made an errant throw home. Ridling's error allowed two runs to score, and CSUN took an 8-6 lead.
CSUN (9-10) plated its final three runs on a two-RBI single by Scott Lyons, a hit which got past OSU center fielder Corey Brown. Brown's error allowed a third run to score on the play as all five of the Matadors' runs in the 10th inning were unearned.
The Cowboys went down in order in the bottom of the 10th, allowing Brettl to pick up the win and improve to 2-0 on the season.
Gardner took the loss for OSU to fall to 1-1 on the season. In 7.2 innings of relief, the sophomore right hander allowed just one earned run and six hits while striking out five.
OSU was led offensively by Mercer, who had three hits in four at-bats, while Wright was 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
The Cowboys, who fell to 7-2 with the loss, return to action Tuesday when they host Arkansas-Little Rock at 4 p.m.
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