Oklahoma State University Athletics
Tenth-Inning Rally Gives Cowboys Sweep Of Kansas State
May 01, 2006 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State scored five runs in the top of the 10th inning, the big blow a grand slam by Shelby Ford, to complete a series sweep of Kansas State with a 9-4 win at Tointon Stadium on Sunday.
With the win, the Cowboys increased their winning streak to nine games and improved to 31-13 overall and 10-8 in Big 12 Conference play. The sweep marked OSU's second in conference play this season and gave coach Frank Anderson's squad its third consecutive Big 12 series win.
Sunday's game went into the 10th inning tied at 4-4, but with two outs, Jordy Mercer's single up the middle scored Keanon Simon from second base with the go-ahead run.
After a single and an intentional walk loaded the bases, Ford blasted a Ben Hornbeck offering over the wall in left-centerfield for a grand slam. Ford's shot was his first hit in a Big 12 Conference road game this season, snapping an 0-for-36 drought.
Mercer, who started the game at shortstop, came on to pitch in the eighth inning and worked the final 2.2 innings without allowing a run to improve to 5-0 on the mound.
K-State (24-16-1, 4-13-1) got the game's scoring started with three runs in the third inning, driving OSU starter Josh Fritsche from the game. Matt Marasco doubled to lead off the frame, and after a sacrifice bunt, Brandon Farr blooped a single just inside the right- field line to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats plated their second run on an RBI double by Jared Goedert, and a single up the middle by Joe Roundy scored Goedert and made the score 3-0.
OSU got on the scoreboard in the fifth, but a potential big inning ended with just one run for the Cowboys.
Justin Colbert opened the inning with a single and took second on an error by K-State center fielder Byron Wiley. Simon then bunted for a single to put Cowboys on the corners, and Mercer's sacrifice fly scored Colbert to make the score 3-1.
But that was the only run the Cowboys could muster as they left two runners stranded on the basepaths.
In the pivotal seventh, the Cowboys scored the go-ahead runs without hitting a ball out of the infield.
A walk to Mercer, an infield single by Corey Brown and a walk to pinch hitter Rebel Ridling loaded the bases with two outs. Tyler Mach then hit a ball up the middle that caromed off pitcher Bryan Peterson's glove, and when shortstop Eli Rumler couldn't make a play, Mach had an RBI single. Ty Wright then collected an infield single on a high chopper to third base. Wright barely beat the throw to first, and Brown came home on the play to tie the score at 3-3.
The third run of OSU's seventh inning was provided by Adam Carr, who singled into the hole at shortstop to give the Cowboys a 4-3 advantage.
The lead did not last, however, as Jared Goedert's solo home run just inside the left-field foul pole tied the score in the bottom of the seventh.
Matt Clarkson led the OSU offense with a 3-for-5 effort, while Brown, Wright and Carr each collected two hits in five at bats. Mach also extended his hitting streak to 15 games in the win.
The Cowboys are off for final examinations this week but will return to Big 12 Conference action this weekend against
