Sooners Hold On For 5-4 Win Over Wolverines In Baseball

March 9, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - In the rubber match of the three-game set, the 29th-ranked Oklahoma baseball team claimed a series victory with a 5-4 win over Michigan Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners received a consistent hitting performance from its starting nine as all but one hitter in the lineup collected a hit. Senior right fielder Matt Arkison scored the winning run on a ground out by junior third baseman Jay Yaconetti in the sixth inning. Sophomore closer Jarod McAuliff came on in the ninth inning to finish off the game for winning pitcher Mike Swindell (2-0) and pick up his second save of the season. OU improved to 8-3 as UM dropped to 4-6 on the year.

"This was a good game for us to win. They played us tight all game and its good for us to play in tight games and learn how to win them," commented OU head coach Larry Cochell.

"Mike Swindell pitched well for us today and Jarod McAuliff got the job done in the end."

Senior second baseman Eddie Cornejo was the Sooners' offensive star of the game by going 2-for-5 at the plate and scoring two runs. Cornejo's first run came in the first inning on a RBI-single by sophomore designated player Matt Bose (1-for-4) to give OU an early 2-0 lead. Oklahoma's first run of the game was scored prior to Bose's at bat as senior first baseman Luke Alexander (1-for-4) singled home Arkison.

In Cornejo's second at bat, the Mira Loma, Calif., native doubled and scored from third base three batters later on an error by Michigan shortstop Jeremy Goldschmeding (1-for-3). Yaconetti reached base after being hit by a pitch and advanced home on a double by sophomore left fielder Tyler Johnson to give OU a 4-1 edge.

Michigan ran Oklahoma starter David Purcey from the game in the middle of the fifth inning by tying the contest at four with a three-run frame. The Wolverines did their damage with a runner on first and two outs. Purcey walked third baseman Brock Koman (1-for-4) and gave up a run-scoring single to designated hitter Jake Fox (2-for-3) in the next at bat. The Wolverines left fielder Mike Sokol, the final slugger Purcey faced, knotted the game up with a two-RBI double.

With two outs and Sokol standing at second base, Swindell relieved Purcey and struck out the first batter he faced to end any further threat in the inning. He went on to shut down Michigan on one hit over the next three innings while striking out three.

OU clung to a 5-4 lead when McAuliff entered the game in the ninth. McAuliff proceeded to strike out the first two batters before allowing UM to load the bases on a walk, sharp single up the middle and another walk. McAuliff fanned Sokol, the Wolverines' hottest hitter in the game, to end the contest.

The Sooners close out their six-game homestand with a two-game set against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Tuesday and Wednesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Both games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. and will feature $.50 hot dogs and Cokes as the special promotions for the games.

Other promotional features for the Southern Illinois series will be Two For One Tuesday where buying one adult general admission ticket will get the purchaser a second ticket free. The second game of the series will feature Web Site Wednesday where a Soonersports.com coupon is good for a regular adult general admission ticket of $2 ($3 off the regular price). The promotion is based on ticket availablityand limited to a maximum of four people per coupon.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Hold On For 5-4 Win Over Wolverines In Baseball

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