No. 22 Sooners Clinch Series Victory With 8-5 Win

NORMAN, Okla. - The 22nd-ranked Oklahoma Sooners won their eighth consecutive Big 12 Conference game with an 8-5 win over the Missouri Tigers Saturday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The second win over the Tigers also clinched the Sooners' third straight conference series victory and vaulted them into first place in the league with Texas Tech defeating first place Nebraska on Saturday. Junior lefthander

David Purcey won his second straight decision as OU improved to 21-11 overall and 9-2 in the Big 12. Missouri lost its fifth straight game and fell to 21-11-1 overall and 2-6 in league play.

“David didn't have his best stuff today, but he still pitched really well for us even though he wasn't his sharpest,” said OU head coach Larry Cochell. “I also thought it was a good day for us offensively.”

Box Score

The Sooner offense took advantage of key two out at bats to plate five of their runs. OU was paced offensively by junior first baseman Ole Sheldon and junior centerfielder Jeff Scuderi who each recorded three hits while both extending their career best hitting streaks to nine games. Junior third baseman Matt Bose (2-for-4) and junior designated hitter Eric Thornton (2-for-5) both drove in a pair of runs.

On the mound, Purcey improved his season mark to 4-3. Although tying his career high with seven walks, three of which led to runs, the junior lefty also struck out eight in his 6.2 innings or work.

Senior reliever Mike Swindell came on with two outs in the seventh inning and retired seven of the nine batters he faced for his first save of the season. Swindell recorded five strikeouts during his stint to tie his career high.

The Sooners scored early and often during the first five innings. With the top two Sooners in the lineup quickly put away in the bottom of the first inning, OU mounted a two out rally on a walk by sophomore leftfielder Ryan Rohlinger (0-for-4). Sheldon followed with an infield single to place runners at first and second base for Bose who drove in Rohlinger with a single to left field.

Oklahoma then opened up a large 5-0 lead in the third inning with a four run frame. Five of the first six batters of the inning reached base and four of those players scored. Senior rightfielder Andrew McGuire (1-for-3) led things off with a walk. After the Sooners loaded the bases with a single by Sheldon and a walk to Bose, Thornton brought in two runs with a single down the right field line.

With runners at the corners, sophomore catcher Brandon Lance (0-for-4) laid down a squeeze bunt back to the pitcher as Bose beat the throw back to the plate on the fielder's choice. Another bunt, this time a single by Scuderi down the third base line, allowed Thornton to come home from third for the five run advantage.

OU struck again for a run in the fourth inning as the Sooners rallied for another two out run. Sheldon legged a two out double to right-center field and came home on a RBI-single by Bose.

After Missouri got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning with a run, Oklahoma added a pair of unearned runs in the bottom half of the frame to extend the lead to 8-1. Again with two outs in the inning, sophomore second baseman Russell Raley (1-for-5) singled and was followed by a walk to McGuire. Both baserunners came home on an error by the Missouri centerfielder who dropped the third out.

The two unearned runs provided some needed insurance for Oklahoma as Missouri cut the lead to three runs in the seventh inning as it batted through the order to plate four runs. After Purcey recorded his eighth strikeout to begin the frame, the next three batters reached base on a single, an error by Bose and ended with a RBI-double by designated hitter Lee Laskowski.

The bleeding continued as Purcey loaded the bases and walked in a run before exiting. The Tigers scored their final two runs on a bloop single off of Swindell which landed in shallow center field just out of reach of several Sooner fielders.

Oklahoma will attempt its third straight Big 12 series sweep on Sunday in the series finale at 1 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Junior righthander Jarod McAuliff is expected to start for the Sooners and junior righthander Garrett Broshuis (6-0) will take the mound for the Tigers.

No. 22 Sooners Clinch Series Victory With 8-5 Win

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No. 22 Sooners Clinch Series Victory With 8-5 Win

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