Sooners Surge Ended With 8-2 Loss To Wildcats

May 9, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State ended Oklahoma's bid for its sixth-straight conference victory Friday night as the Wildcats topped the Sooners, 8-2, in the first game of a three-game series at Frank Myers Field at Tointon Family Stadium. Neither offense was able to generate much as they combined for only 10 hits through the first seven frames as both teams were tied up in a pitcher's duel. Leading 4-2, Kansas State broke through for four insurance runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the win. OU starting pitcher Mark Roberts (5-5) was charged with the loss as the Sooners fell to 19-26 overall and 7-15 in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas State improved to 13-34 overall and 3-19 in league contests.

Wildcats starter and former Sooner Brett Bagley (2-2) stifled the Sooner lineup through the first seven frames. Bagley fanned a career high 10 batters and held them to only five hits before exiting after a season long outing. Kansas State closer Eric Rollins shutdown Oklahoma over the final two innings to pick up his fifth save.

Kansas State spotted Bagley to an early 4-0 lead after scoring three runs in the first inning and plating a fourth in the second frame. Wildcats' catcher Ryan Baldwin was responsible for the first three runs of the contest with his three-run homer to left field in the first and Roberts balked home the fourth run in the next inning.

Oklahoma scratched back with its only two runs of the contest in the top of the fourth frame to cut the score down to 4-2. Senior second baseman Eddie Cornejo (1-for-4) and sophomore first baseman Matt Bose (1-for-3) laced a pair of RBI-doubles to plate both runs. Cornejo's two-bagger scored senior center fielder Reggie Willits (2-for-3) who led off the inning with a walk and Bose's double brought Cornejo home for the second run.

Roberts settled down after the four early runs to hold the Wildcats scoreless and hitless over the next five frames. During that span, he struck out eight batters and allowed only two baserunners, due to a walk and an error, before the Wildcats got to him again in the eighth inning.

KSU put the game out of reach with a four-run frame in the eighth to capture the final margin of victory. The Wildcats tagged Roberts for two hits and a walk to plate a run before he was lifted in favor of sophomore reliever Jarod McAuliff. McAuliff then allowed three more runs to score as KSU acquired two consecutive RBI hits and a sacrifice fly to score the runs.

Junior righthander Casey Brown (3-1) takes the mound for the Sooners in the second game of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Frank Myers Field at Tointon Family Stadium. Brown will be opposed by righthander Jim Ripley (3-6) who will be throwing for the Wildcats.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Surge Ended With 8-2 Loss To Wildcats

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