Baseball Season Ends With 5-4 Tourney Loss To Longhorns

May 23, 2003

OKLAHOMA CITY - Seventh-seed Oklahoma's valiant attempt to keep its season alive ended in the top of the ninth inning when second-seeded Texas plated the go-ahead run to edge the Sooners 5-4 in an elimination contest in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament Friday afternoon. Longhorn right fielder Dustin Majewski tagged Sooner reliever Jarod McAuliff (2-5) for the second single of the inning to drive in second baseman Tim Moss for the winning run. The score broke a 4-4 tie which summed up the game as the two teams battled back and forth through four ties through the first six frames. OU freshman third baseman Russell Raley and junior catcher Spencer Wyman both hit home runs to account for three of the team's four runs. The loss ends Oklahoma's (23-31) season and sends ninth-ranked Texas (40-17) into the fourth day of the tournament.

McAuliff pitched perfect frames in the the seventh and eighth innings before being tagged for the two crucial base hits in the ninth. He ends the season ranked third on the school's single-season saves list and appearances list after being one of the team's most durable hurlers during his sophomore campaign.

The Longhorns had an opportunity to break out a large lead early in the top of the first inning, but Oklahoma starting pitcher Buddy Blair pitched out of the jam with only allowing one run to score. Texas loaded the bases with one out and scored its lone run of the frame on a ground out fielder's choice to third base. Blair then stranded the remaining runners at first and second base by getting the batter to lift a fly ball to center field for the final out.

In the bottom of the third inning, Raley (2-for-3) went deep to left field for his first career home run to tie the game at 1-1. Texas starting hurler Justin Simmons had sat down five-straight Sooners before Raley tagged him for the long ball.

Texas answered back with a single run in the top of the fourth to take a brief 2-1 lead. The Longhorns got back-to-back one-out singles from designated hitter Seth Johnston and center fielder Joe Ferin who both moved into scoring position on a double steal. UT third baseman J.D. Reininger then drove in Johnston from third base on a ground out to shortstop.

The Sooners quickly grabbed their first lead on their second homer of the game by Wyman in the fourth inning. Wyman's team-leading ninth round-tripper of the season drove in sophomore first baseman Matt Bose, who legged out an infield single to lead off the frame, to give OU a 3-2 advantage.

Blair then pitched out of a bases loaded, no outs situation in the fifth by striking out Texas catcher Taylor Teagarden looking and then enticing Johnston to ground into a rally and inning-ending double play to escape the threat unscathed.

However, the Longhorns did get to the Sooners' starter in the next frame for a pair of runs. Texas placed runners on the corners with one away before a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Tim Moss brought Reininger home for the first run and a triple to center field by shortstop Omar Quintanilla drove in first baseman Curtis Thigpen to help UT regain a 4-3 lead.

Oklahoma junior shortstop Denver Kitch (0-for-3) created some havoc on the base paths in the sixth frame to set up the tying run for the Sooners. After reaching base after being hit by a pitch, Kitch swiped his 14th stolen base of the year and continued on to third base when the errant throw by the Texas catcher bounced off into center field. Junior left fielder Andrew McGuire (0-for-3) then lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right field to bring Kitch home for the 4-4 tie.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Baseball Season Ends With 5-4 Tourney Loss To Longhorns

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