Sooners Cruise To 6-1 Win Over Red Raiders

May 3, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma baseball team received a solid all-around team performance to record its second-straight win over Texas Tech 6-1 Saturday afternoon in front of a season-high 1,877 at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Deuces were wild as Oklahoma scored a pair of runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings and two Sooner hurlers combined to hold Texas Tech to only five hits. As they did in game one of the series when the Sooners scored all their runs with two outs in Friday's 4-1 victory, Oklahoma scored four of their six runs with clutch two-out hitting. Freshman third baseman Russell Raley had a career day at the plate as he drove in three of the runs, scored a fourth and went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Oklahoma improved to 18-25 overall and 6-14 in the Big 12 Conference and clinched its first regular season series victory over Texas Tech (26-22, 7-15 Big 12) since the league formed in 1997.

For the second straight game, OU received a stellar pitching performance from its starter. Junior righthander Casey Brown (3-1) turned in his longest outing of the season at six innings and shut down Tech to one run on four hits for the win in only his third career start. Sophomore reliever David Purcey picked up his first save of the season after pitching the final three frames for the Sooners.

Both team's performances closely mirrored Friday night's game through the first four innings. The two teams battled through a scoreless pitcher's duel as they were held to two hits a piece until the fifth inning when both teams got on the scoreboard. After Texas Tech plated a run at the top of the fifth to take a brief 1-0 lead, Oklahoma responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to jump out in front 2-1. With the threat of leaving a baserunner stranded at second base with two outs following a lead off single by Raley, junior shortstop Denver Kitch (1-for-4) delivered a clutch double to drive in Raley for the tie. The tie was quickly broken in the next at bat as senior center fielder Reggie Willits (1-for-4) drove home Kitch with a single to right field.

Two more runs were then plated by OU in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Senior second baseman Eddie Cornejo (3-for-4) began the frame with a single and then raced around the bases on sophomore Greg Kish's (2-for-4) follow-up double to score the first run. The Sooners' second run of the inning was scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Raley which extended Oklahoma's lead to 4-1.

In the eighth with two runners in scoring position and two outs recorded, Raley drove in his final two runs of the game on a two-RBI single to plate Cornejo and Kish who led off the frame with back-to-back singles.

Purcey allowed a single to the first batter he faced to lead off the seventh inning and then proceeded to retire the final nine batters of the game for his first save since closing out six games last season. He used strikeouts to record four of the the last nine outs.

OU junior lefty Buddy Blair (3-6) will be opposed by TTU righty Steve Gooch (4-4) Sunday afternoon in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners will honor their six departing seniors in a pre-game ceremony and a post-game autograph session with the team take place as team trading cards will be given away before the game.

SOONER GAME NOTES:

* Senior second baseman Eddie Cornejo extended his season long hitting streak tonight to six games.

* The two wins over the Red Raiders gives the Sooners their first regular season series victory over Tech since the Big 12 Conference formed in 1997.