OU Opens Season With 10-4 Win Over Arkansas-Little Rock

Feb. 8, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma Sooners started off their 2002 season in grand fashion Friday afternoon, defeating Arkansas-Little Rock 10-4, relying heavily on two seniors, pitcher Evan Greusel and first baseman Charlie Frasier. Greusel pitched five innings, struck out seven and gave up just three hits and three runs, while Frasier batted 3-for-3 with a home run and five RBI. Freshman David Purcey pitched four innings of two-hit ball and picked up the save in his first collegiate game.

"This was a good way for us to start the season," said Oklahoma head coach Larry Cochell, beginning his 36th year as a collegiate head coach. "It was important for us to play well and get ourselves off on the right foot. Evan (Greusel) pitched an excellent ballgame. He hung one curveball out there, but I really was impressed with what I saw from him. Charlie (Frasier) is very capable of having games like this and he was hitting well all fall. He's swinging the bat very well right now."

The Sooners got off to a quick start, scoring three runs off UALR starter John Gragg (0-1) in the opening inning. Freshman outfielder Tyler Johnson hit a two-run triple in the first and OU answered a three-run home run by the Trojans' Kevin Kouzmanoff in the top of the third with three runs of its own in the bottom of that inning. Oklahoma again got things going in the fifth inning, scoring three runs and putting the game away on a two-RBI single by Frasier.

Purcey, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound freshman from Dallas struck out five UALR batters and closed the door on any possible comeback by the Trojans. Jason Fransz, playing in his first game at Oklahoma, went 1-for-2 with two runs, a hit and a run batted in, while his junior college teammate at Riverside Community College, Eddie Cornejo, went 3-for-5 in his Sooner debut. Cornejo also scored three runs and played an excellent defensive game at shortstop.

"I think we showed a lot of spirit, enthusiasm and chemistry out there today," said Cochell. "We need to keep that up the rest of the weekend and then down the line this season."

UALR dropped its first game of the season after sweeping Prairie View A&M in impressive fashion a week ago. The Sooners and Trojans continue their series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. game at OU's L. Dale Mitchell Park.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Opens Season With 10-4 Win Over Arkansas-Little Rock

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