Roberts Pitches No. 20 Sooners To 6-1 Victory Over Bluejays

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma senior starting pitcher Mark Roberts collected his fourth-straight win in leading the 20th-ranked Sooners to a 6-1 win over the Creighton Bluejays Saturday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU sophomore shortstop Russell Raley helped Oklahoma tie its season high of 13 hits by tying a career best of his own with three hits. Senior rightfielder Andrew McGuire, junior designated hitter Eric Thornton and freshman Chad Lembeck each went deep for home runs in the game to aid in the offensive attack. The win helped OU (11-5) achieve a split with Creighton (5-8) through the first two games of the series heading into Sunday's finale.

“He (Roberts) had good location and kept his breaking ball down. When you go seven innings and allow only three hits and strike out nine, you know you have good location,” Sooner head coach Larry Cochell commented on his senior pitchers' performance.

Box Score

Roberts' performance was the key to the Sooners' victory. In his seven innings of work, he faced the minimum in five of the frames and allowed a season low three hits. The Owasso, Okla., native did not allow his first baserunner until the top of the fourth inning when Creighton centerfielder Gabe Lapito led off with a single. He then proceeded to retire the next three batters to strand the runner at third base.

The one run Roberts did surrender came on a leadoff solo homer by Bluejays' leftfielder Matt Daeges in the sixth inning. He finished the contest by tying his career high in strikeouts with nine while not walking any batters. He continues to lead the pitching staff in wins as he improved his season mark to 4-1.

Following over a two hour rain delay, Oklahoma came out sharp in the first inning and scored three runs off Creighton starter Eric Wordekemper (0-2). Junior centerfielder Jeff Scuderi (2-for-5) and Raley started things off at the top of the order with back-to-back singles. After a sacrifice bunt by McGuire (1-for-3) moved both runners up, scoring Scuderi, junior first baseman Ole Sheldon (1-for-4) drove in Raley from second with a RBI single. Thornton (2-for-3) then stepped to the plate and launched his second home run of the season, a solo shot, to left field for the third run of the frame.

McGuire's long ball came in the third inning as he hit his second home run in the last three games by going deep to right field. It also marked the second time in the last three contests that the senior rightfielder recorded a career high three RBI. His two-run shot put the Sooners ahead 5-0.

Lembeck capped off the scoring for OU in the bottom of the eighth inning as he sent an offering over the left field scoreboard for a pinch hit home run and the first hit of his career.

“Each of those home runs were hit very well,” said Cochell. “I was happy for all those guys, especially Lembeck who got his first hit.”

The three-game set between the two teams wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior righty Casey Brown (2-1) is scheduled to start for Oklahoma while senior righty Steve Grasley (2-2) will oppose him on the mound in the series' rubber match.