Oklahoma State University Athletics
Wright's Two-Run Home Run Gives Cowboys Series Win
April 23, 2007 | Cowboy Baseball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Ty Wright hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to propel
Wright's game-winning blast gave the 15th-ranked Cowboys their fourth series win in Big 12 Conference play this season as they improved to 31-10 overall and 10-5 in league play. OSU is in sole possession of second place in the league standings and will battle first-place
Sophomore Jordy Mercer earned the win on the mound for the Cowboys as the right hander worked the final four innings and did not allow a run while giving up just one hit. It was Mercer's first win of the season, and he was also 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the contest.
OSU led the first 4 ½ innings of the contest, but the Aggies (32-10, 9-8) took the lead with a four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. Parker
That lead increased to 11-8 in the sixth, but that was the last run A&M would get.
OSU trimmed its deficit to one in the eighth. Wright walked, and after a double by Corey Brown and a walk to Matt Mangini loaded the bases, Mercer delivered a two-RBI single off the glove of A&M third baseman Brian Ruggiano.
In the decisive ninth, pinch hitter Donnie Webb walked to lead off the frame and set the stage for Wright's heroics. With the count at 2-2, Wright hit the offering from A&M's Kyle Thebeau over the wall in left-field to put OSU ahead.
The Cowboys jumped out to an early lead with a three-run first inning, and they did it in their typical fashion – with a two-out rally.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Mangini doubled down the left-field line to give the Cowboys a 2-0 lead. Rebel Ridling followed with a double, his first hit of the series, to score Mangini and put OSU up 3-0.
A&M quickly answered in the bottom of the first, tying the score off OSU starter Josh Fritsche. In his first start of the season, Fritsche gave up four hits and recorded just one out.
After back-to-back singles by Brandon Hicks and Ben Feltner to open the bottom of the first, the duo executed a double steal. Blake Stouffer then delivered a two-RBI double, and an RBI single by Luke Anders tied the score at 3-3 before OSU reliever Robbie Weinhardt recorded consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
OSU regained the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second.
Ryan Flavell blasted his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center field that made the score 4-3, and after two-out double by Wright, Brown delivered a run-scoring double to give the Cowboys a 5-3 advantage.
In the first of several unorthodox plays, A&M's Brandon Hicks hit a ball over the left-field wall for an apparent game-tying home run in the bottom of the second. But Hicks passed Ruggiano on the basepath, turning the homer into a one-run single and making Hicks out on the play.
The Cowboys missed out on a two-run home run themselves in the third. Mercer hit a long fly ball that appeared headed over the wall in left-center field, but Feltner got a glove on the ball and brought it back into the field of play to rob Mercer of the homer. Mercer was held to a double, and OSU's inning ended without a run.
OSU increased its lead back to two in the fourth, with Brown hitting a solo home run to center field to give the Cowboys a 6-4 edge. The blast was Brown's team-leading 16th homer of the season.
Wright extended his hitting streak to 18 games in the win, while Tyler Mach's hitting streak was snapped after he had hit safely in 18-straight contests.
OSU returns to action Tuesday when the Cowboys host Oral Roberts at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
