Cowboys Fall In 10 Innings

Sunday, April 12

Lawrence, Kan

1:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

Kansas

April 13, 2009 | Cowboy Baseball

LAWRENCE, Kan. Â— Kansas scored twice in the bottom of the 10^th inning to defeat Oklahoma State, 4-3, on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

The loss marked the fifth in a row for the 17^th-ranked Cowboys, who dropped to 21-14 overall and 4-8 in Big 12 Conference play. It also marked the first time OSU has been swept by Kansas since 1993.

In its first extra-inning game of the season, OSU took the lead in the top of the 10^th. Dean Green led off the frame with a single, and Doug Kroll followed with a sacrifice bunt. Tom Belza then delivered his third hit of the game, an RBI double to the gap in right-center field that gave the Cowboys a 3-2 lead.

But in the bottom of the 10^th, Kansas rallied against OSU closer Randy McCurry. A bloop single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out, and McCurry then hit Buck Afenir with a pitch to bring home the tying run.

Up next, Tony Thompson hit the first pitch he saw to deep left field for a game-winning single that gave the Jayhawks (23-12, 7-5) the series sweep.

McCurry, who worked a career-high 3.1 innings, suffered the first loss of his career to fall to 1-1. He allowed two runs on three hits while striking out four.

Tyrone Hambly led the OSU offense with a 4-for-5 day, while Belza and Kevin David each collected three hits.

OSU took its first lead of the series in the third inning. Leadoff hitter Rafael Thomas was hit by a pitch, and on a sacrifice bunt by Micheal Dabbs, Thomas advanced all the way to third when Kansas failed to cover the base. Hambly then stepped to the plate and delivered a bunt single to bring home Thomas and make the score 1-0.

The Jayhawks did not trail for long as they continued a series-long trend of scoring with two outs, getting a two-RBI double from Buck Afenir to take a 2-1 advantage.

OSU threatened in the top of the fourth inning, loading the bases with two outs on singles by David and Brad Propst and a walk to Rafael Thomas, but Dabbs flied out to end the threat.

The score remained 2-1 until the seventh when the Cowboys rallied to tie the score. Back-to-back singles by Dabbs and Hambly put runners on first and third, and Neil Medchill brought home the tying run with a sacrifice fly to right field.

OSU returns to action Tuesday when they open a three-game series with Arkansas-Pine Bluff with a doubleheader at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. Tuesday's first game is scheduled for 3 p.m.