Sooners Edge Golden Eagles 5-4 In Fourth Comeback Victory

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma Sooners used a two run rally in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge the 25th-ranked Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, 5-4, Wednesday night and complete their fourth comeback victory in a row. Pinch hitter Blake Hurlbutt drove in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cap off a two run frame to provide the difference. Oklahoma had fallen behind by three runs after providing the margin by committing five errors in the second inning.

For the fourth straight game, reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Jarod McAuliff closed out the game to pick up his third save. Junior reliever Daniel McCutchen (1-1) was credited with the win for OU which improved its season mark to 16-10. Oral Roberts dropped to 19-6 with the loss.

Box Score

“We've been a good come-from-behind team lately and that's just having good at bats late in the game,” commented Sooner head coach Larry Cochell. “We weren't ready to play the first couple of innings and it hurt us.”

Hurlbutt's groundout to the pitcher, with a the squeeze play on, provided the necessary at bat to successfully drive in Sheldon from third base for the game-winning run. Sophomore leftfielder Ryan Rohlinger (1-for-4) scored the first of the two runs in the inning after leading off with a single. He scored two batters later on junior third baseman Matt Bose's (1-for-4) RBI-single.

Bose's hit extended his hitting streak to eight games, the best active streak on the team.

OU scored a run in the first inning for the fourth straight game to knot the game at 1-1. Leadoff hitter Andrew McGuire (1-for-3) successfully reached base by drawing a walk. He scored in the next at bat as the ORU rightfielder threw the ball into the Oklahoma dugout attempting to get him out at third base on a single by sophomore second baseman Russell Raley (3-for-4).

After the Golden Eagles manufactured a run in the top of the first inning, they took advantage of five Sooner miscues in the second frame to score three runs and go up 4-1. OU's defense allowed four batters to reach base due to the errors and the fifth error was made on a poor throw down to second base in an attempt to get the lead runner out.

Down, but not out, the Sooners rebounded with two runs in the next inning to draw closer at 4-3. Oklahoma started off the inning with two consecutive hits by junior centerfielder Jeff Scuderi (1-for-3) and McGuire. Raley then made it three straight with a RBI-single to drive in Scuderi. An out and a walk later, Bose grounded out to bring in McGuire for the second run.

The score remained 4-3 over the next four innings as a host of OU pitchers entered the game. After freshman Ryan Mottern pitched the third inning, three more Sooner hurlers, including freshman Charles Benoit, juniors Tyler Gooch and McCutchen, combined to hold the Golden Eagles scoreless during that time.

McCutchen allowed only one hit, a walk, while striking out one, to earn the win.

“I was really pleased with our middle relief effort, Mottern, Benoit, Gooch and McCutchen all gave us quality outings,” said Cochell.

Oklahoma goes for five wins in a row when it heads for Kansas this weekend for a three-game set. Action begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kan.