Oklahoma Baseball Salvages Final Game, 5-4, Against No. 15 Arizona State

March 12, 2000

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Oklahoma Sooners salvaged the final game of the three-game set from the 15th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils, 5-4, Sunday night at Packard Stadium in Tempe. OU starting pitcher Austin Mix (4-1) allowed only four hits through 7.1 innings and closer Jeff Bajenaru came on for the final 1.2 innings to blank ASU and pick up his fifth save of the season. Oklahoma improves to 12-7 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12, while Arizona State falls to 20-5 on the season.

Trailing 3-0 after the first inning, leftfielder Sean Murphy hammered his second home run in as many games with two runners on base in the top of the second inning to tie the game. Murphy finished the game 1-for-5 with a run scored and three RBIs. Bajenaru, centferfielder Jerome Godsey and shortstop Tommy Whiteman each scored a run and collected two hits in the game to contribute to the team's offensive effort.

After adding a run in the third inning, the Sooners held the 4-3 lead until the top of the eighth when a sacrifice fly by third baseman Jason Bartlett scored Bajenaru from third to add an insurance run for OU and take a 5-3 lead. The Sun Devils scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to pull within one run, but Bajenaru, who relieved Mix in the eighth, sat down the final four batters to end the game.

Arizona State first baseman Jeff Phelps picked up two of the team's four hits and all four RBIs. ASU starter Will Waldrip (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up four of the five runs.

The Sooners return home to play Murray State in the first game of a two-game set at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

Oklahoma vs Arizona State

NCAA Box Score
Game Play-by-Play

The University of Oklahoma Baseball Oklahoma at Arizona State Mar 12, 2000 at Tempe, Arizona (Packard Stadium)

Oklahoma 5 (12-7)

Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Sean Murphy lf............ 5 1 1 3 0 0 2 0 Zach Lekse 2b............. 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 Tommy Whiteman ss......... 5 1 2 0 0 2 3 4 Rick Park 1b.............. 4 0 2 0 1 1 12 0 Eliot Joyner dh/rf........ 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Jeff Bajenaru rf/p........ 3 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 Jerome Godsey cf.......... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Jason Bartlett 3b......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 Josh Witcher c............ 2 1 1 0 2 0 6 1 Austin Mix p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Totals.................... 34 5 11 5 3 5 27 16

Arizona State 4 (20-5)

Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Martin rf................. 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Downing ph/rf............. 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Conrad 2b................. 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 2 Jones lf.................. 3 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 Myers c................... 3 1 1 0 1 1 6 0 Phelps 1b................. 4 0 2 4 0 1 8 0 Duncan cf................. 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 Lopez 3b.................. 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 Hines dh.................. 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Berger ss................. 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Stocker ph................ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Wyrick ss................. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Johnson ph................ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Waldrip p................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Milner p.................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Field p................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Doble p................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Totals.................... 31 4 4 4 5 7 27 8

Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Oklahoma 031 000 010 - 5 11 1 Arizona State 300 000 010 - 4 4 1 ----------------------------------------------

E - Bartlett, J, Downing. DP - OU 1. LOB - OU 8, ASU 6. 2B - Park, R, Witcher, J, Phelps. HR - Murphy, S(4). SB - Jones, Duncan. CS - Bajenaru, J. SH - Godsey, J. SF - Bajenaru, J, Bartlett, J.

Oklahoma IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Austin Mix.......... 7.1 4 4 4 5 5 26 32 Jeff Bajenaru....... 1.2 0 0 0 0 2 5 5

Arizona State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Waldrip............. 5.0 9 4 4 1 2 23 25 Milner.............. 2.2 2 1 0 2 2 7 11 Field............... 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 Doble............... 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 2 2

Win - Mix, A 4-1. Loss - Waldrip 5-1. Save - Bajenaru, J (5). HBP - by Mix, A (Martin). Umpires - Home:Steve Williamson 1st:Jeff Jenkins 3rd:Kent Bruns Start: 7 p.m. Time: 2:39 Attendance: 2830 Waldrip faced 2 batters in the 6th.

Play-by-play


                  The University of Oklahoma Baseball
                       Oklahoma at Arizona State
           Mar 12, 2000 at Tempe, Arizona (Packard Stadium)


Score by innings:                      R  H  E
----------------------------------------------
Oklahoma              031 000 010   -  5 11  1
Arizona State         300 000 010   -  4  4  1
----------------------------------------------

Oklahoma inning 1

  Murphy, S fouled out to 1b (1-2).  Lekse, Z flied out to cf (0-1).
  Whiteman, T singled to center field (1-2).  Park, R walked (3-2), Whiteman,
  T advanced to second.  Joyner, E struck out (1-2).  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
  2 LOB.

Arizona State inning 1

  Martin hit by pitch (3-0).  Conrad walked (3-2), Martin advanced to second.
  Jones reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop (1-1), Conrad out at second
  ss to 2b, Martin advanced to third.  Jones stole second.  Myers walked
  (3-2).  Phelps doubled down the lf line, 3 RBI (1-0), Myers scored, Jones
  scored, Martin scored.  Duncan walked (3-0).  Lopez reached on a fielder's
  choice to third base (2-2), Duncan out at second 3b to 2b, Phelps advanced
  to third.  Hines grounded out to 2b (0-2).  3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 2

  Bajenaru, J grounded out to 3b (1-1).  Godsey, J singled to center field
  (0-1).  Bartlett, J singled to left field (0-0), Godsey, J advanced to
  second.  Witcher, J reached on a fielder's choice to second base (1-2),
  Bartlett, J out at second 2b unassisted, Godsey, J advanced to third.
  Murphy, S homered, 3 RBI (2-1), Witcher, J scored, Godsey, J scored.  Lekse,
  Z flied out to rf (1-0).  3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Arizona State inning 2

  Berger flied out to rf (0-1).  Martin grounded out to 2b (1-1).  Conrad
  grounded out to 2b (3-1).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 3

  Whiteman, T singled to right field (1-0).  Park, R doubled (2-2), Whiteman,
  T advanced to third.  Joyner, E grounded out to 3b (0-1).  Bajenaru, J flied
  out to rf, SF, RBI (2-2), Park, R advanced to third, Whiteman, T scored.
  Godsey, J lined out to ss (2-1).  1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Arizona State inning 3

  Jones struck out (1-2).  Myers grounded out to p (0-1).  Phelps struck out,
  out at first c to 1b (3-2).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 4

  Bartlett, J flied out to lf (2-1).  Witcher, J doubled to left field (3-2).

  Murphy, S grounded out to 2b (0-0), Witcher, J advanced to third.  Lekse, Z
  flied out to cf (1-0).  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Arizona State inning 4

  Duncan grounded out to ss (0-0).  Lopez grounded out to 2b (0-2).  Hines
  popped up to 2b (0-0).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 5

  Whiteman, T struck out (1-2).  Park, R flied out to cf (2-1).  Joyner, E
  fouled out to c (1-2).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Arizona State inning 5

  Stocker pinch hit for Berger.  Stocker struck out (1-2).  Downing pinch hit
  for Martin.  Downing flied out to lf (0-0).  Conrad singled to center field
  (1-0).  Jones grounded out to ss (1-0).  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 6

  Downing to rf.  Wyrick to ss for Stocker.  Bajenaru, J singled to right
  field (0-0).  Godsey, J singled to first base, bunt (0-0), Bajenaru, J
  advanced to second.  Milner to p for Waldrip.  Godsey, J advanced to second,
  Bajenaru, J out at third p to 3b, caught stealing.  Bartlett, J struck out
  (0-2).  Witcher, J walked (3-2).  Murphy, S reached on a fielder's choice
  (0-0), Witcher, J out at second ss to 2b.  0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Arizona State inning 6

  Myers struck out (2-2).  Phelps grounded out to 3b (3-2).  Duncan lined out
  to ss (0-0).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 7

  Lekse, Z flied out to cf (0-0).  Whiteman, T struck out (3-2).  Park, R
  singled to left field (1-1).  Joyner, E reached on a fielder's choice (2-1),
  Park, R out at second 2b unassisted.  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.

Arizona State inning 7

  Lopez walked (3-0).  Hines struck out (3-2).  Wyrick reached on an error by
  3b (0-1), Lopez advanced to second.  Downing grounded into double play 2b to
  ss to 1b (0-1), Wyrick out on the play.  0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 8

  Bajenaru, J singled to right field, advanced to second on an error by rf
  (0-0).  Godsey, J grounded out to 1b unassisted, SAC, bunt (1-1), Bajenaru,
  J advanced to third.  Bartlett, J flied out to rf, SF, RBI (0-1), Bajenaru,
  J scored, unearned.  Witcher, J walked (3-0).  Field to p for Milner.

  Murphy, S grounded out to 2b (0-0).  1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.

Arizona State inning 8

  Conrad grounded out to 2b (2-1).  Jones walked (3-0).  Myers singled to left
  field (3-1), Jones advanced to second.  Phelps singled to left field, RBI
  (0-0), Myers advanced to second, Jones scored.  Joyner, E to rf.  Bajenaru,
  J to p.  / for Mix, A.  Duncan reached on a fielder's choice (2-1), Phelps
  out at second p to ss, Myers advanced to third.  Duncan stole second.  Lopez
  grounded out to 2b (2-2).  1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.

Oklahoma inning 9

  Lekse, Z grounded out to 3b (3-2).  Doble to p for Field.  Whiteman, T
  grounded out to p (1-0).  Park, R struck out looking (1-2).  0 runs, 0 hits,
  0 errors, 0 LOB.

Arizona State inning 9

  Hines struck out (1-2).  Johnson pinch hit for Wyrick.  Johnson struck out
  (3-2).  Downing flied out to lf (0-0).  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.

Waldrip faced 2 batters in the 6th.

University of Oklahoma Athletics