Oklahoma Completes Doubleheader Sweep Of Sam Houston St.

Feb. 22, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma baseball team captured two more wins on the young season after sweeping a Saturday doubleheader against Sam Houston State at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Infielders Eddie Cornejo and Matt Bose provided the offense for the Sooners in game one with a pair of three-hit efforts and five RBI, while junior third baseman Jay Yaconetti's two-run homer put a close contest out of reach late in the second game. Junior righthander Mark Roberts (2-0) picked up his second victory on the year in the first game after giving up only one unearned run through seven innings and junior righty Mike Swindell (1-0) was the winning pitcher in game two. The Sooners record improved to 3-1 on the year, while the Bearkats dropped to 4-6 with their sixth-straight loss.

"We made a big improvement over the last time we played. I thought we did well pitching and I thought we did a better job offensively," said OU head coach Larry Cochell. "We've been working on that [offensive execution] a lot this week. We had a couple of big two-out base hits that scored some runs that really helped."

In game one, Oklahoma exploded for five runs in the third inning to grab an early lead. After two-consecutive errors and a walk loaded the bases for OU, Cornejo singled home two of the baserunners. Senior first baseman Luke Alexander (1-for-4) kept the rally alive by following with a two-RBI double in the next at bat. Alexander then scored three batters later on a base hit by sophomore designated hitter Tyler Johnson (2-for-4).

After the Sooners capitalized on the Bearkats' third error of the game in the fourth inning to gain a 6-1 advantage, Bose plated the final two Oklahoma runs with a two-out base hit in the eighth frame.

On the mound, Roberts scattered scattered eight hits and worked his way out of several jams by stranding five runners in scoring position. Junior Charlie House finished off the final two innings and allowed one run on three hits.

With the Sooners up 2-0 in the second inning of game two on a clutch two-out two-RBI double by senior right fielder Matt Arkison (1-for-3), the Bearkats battled back to knot the game up at two with single runs in the third and fourth frames. Sam Houston State took advantage of OU starter David Purcey's control problems in the two innings as five walks and two wild pitches aided the Bearkats' cause.

The Sooners used another two-RBI double, this time by junior left fielder Andrew McGuire (1-for-4), to respond to the threat in the fourth inning and pull ahead 4-2.

Sam Houston State plated its final two runs of the game to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth frame before Oklahoma pulled away for good. Cornejo doubled home Arkison and senior center fielder Reggie Willits (0-for-2), who had drawn back-to-back walks, in the bottom of the inning for a 6-4 Sooner edge and Yaconetti sent his two-run shot to right field to cap off Oklahoma's scoring in the eighth inning.

Swindell, a 2002 Junior College All-American out of Riverside C.C., gave up two unearned runs on three hits through four innings of work in his highly-anticipated Oklahoma debut. Sophomore Jarod McAuliff worked a scoreless ninth inning in his second outing of the season.

OU will attempt to nail down a series sweep as the two teams face off again tomorrow at 12 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Completes Doubleheader Sweep Of Sam Houston St.

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