Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
UNLV
Cowboys Defeat UNLV, 8-2
March 25, 2009 | Cowboy Baseball
STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State got solid production from the bottom of its lineup and a strong pitching performance by a pair of southpaws to lift the 17th-ranked Cowboys past UNLV, 8-2, Tuesday night at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
With the win, OSU improved to 16-7, including an 8-3 mark on its home field, while the Rebels dropped to 13-9.
Thomas Keeling earned the win on the mound as the sophomore allowed just one run and struck out nine over the final seven innings in relief of starter Andrew Oliver. With the win, Keeling improved to 2-1 on the season.
Oliver tossed a pre-determined two innings and allowed a run on three hits while striking out four.
OSU's 7-8-9 hitters in the lineup — Tyrone Hambly, Doug Kroll and Mark Ginther — combined for five of the Cowboys' eight hits and six of their runs, with each player collecting two RBIs apiece.
UNLV took an early 1-0 advantage in its first at bat as Ryan Thornton, who led off the game with a single, scored on a sacrifice fly.
The Cowboys would tie the score in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Micheal Dabbs, and then took command of the game in the fourth and fifth frames.
The home team kept UNLV off the scoreboard with a standout defensive play in the top of the fourth when Neil Medchill robbed Brent Resnick of a potential home run with a leaping catch at the wall in left field.
With the defensive gem keeping the score tied at 1-1, Kevin David walked to lead off the Cowboys' half of the fourth inning. After Dean Green reached on a one-out error, Hambly delivered a double down the left field line to put OSU on top.
OSU added two more runs in the inning as Ginther followed a walk to Kroll with a two-RBI single up the middle to put the Cowboys up 4-1.
UNLV would finally cut its deficit in half with their final run of the contest in the fifth, the Rebels' only score off Keeling, on an RBI double by J.J. Sferra that made the score 4-2.
OSU answered in the bottom of the inning, rallying for four runs on three hits. A double by Medchill brought home the first run, and a sac fly off the bat of Hambly made the score 6-2. Kroll followed with a two-RBI single to push the Cowboys lead to six.
The Cowboys will host UNLV again Wednesday with a 6:30 p.m. contest.
