Sooners Squeak By With 8-7 Win Over Broncs

NORMAN, Okla. - The 18th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (34-18) gave up three runs in the top of the ninth, but pulled out a close 8-7 victory from the Texas-Pan American Broncs (22-31) Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The Sooners led 8-4 going into the final inning, but junior right-hander Jarod McAuliff struggled with the Broncs' lineup. McAuliff gave up three runs on four hits before he was pulled for junior right-hander Daniel McCutchen (4-3, 3 saves) who struck out the next batter to end the game for the Sooners.

Box Score

“Offensively I thought we did a good job today and Mark Roberts pitched well again,” OU head coach Larry Cochell said. “He's been pretty consistent this year and the four years he's been here.”

Senior right-hander Mark Roberts (8-4) certainly was the story of the game. In his final appearance at L. Dale Mitchell Park, Roberts struck out a career-high 11 batters in 7.1 innings of work.

“It felt good because I've tied (my career high) a couple of times and I wanted to break it,” Roberts said. “Early on I didn't think I'd be able to do it because I was just getting one strikeout an inning, but then I started to settle in.”

Roberts, who had a previous career high of nine strikeouts in a game, was credited with his career-best eighth win this season and moved into a tie for seventh place on the OU career wins list with 23. He, along with senior pitchers Casey Brown, Charlie House, Mike Swindell and senior right fielder Andrew McGuire (0-for-2), were honored in a pre-game ceremony for their dedication to the Oklahoma program and their last appearance at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

“It was kind of sad at the beginning before the game,” Roberts said, “but then you forget about that and focus on the game. I felt real dominant out there today. “

Oklahoma scored first for the seventh time in its last eight games when McGuire hit a sacrifice fly to center field and scored last week's Big 12 Player of the Week, junior designated hitter Eric Thornton (3-for-4). Junior third baseman Matt Bose (1-for-4) and sophomore shortstop Ryan Rohlinger (1-for-4) scored the next two runs to put the Sooners up 3-0.

The UTPA Broncs scored a run in the top of the third, but the Sooners answered back with three more in the bottom of the frame. Junior first baseman Ole Sheldon (3-for-4) and Thornton hit back-to-back doubles to drive in two runs and McGuire hit another sacrifice fly to bring in the last run of the inning.

Sheldon tripled to right field and then scored on Thornton's single to center for the lone run of the fifth inning. Roberts then struck out the side in the top of the sixth.

Pan Am scored two runs in the top of the seventh to wake up the Sooners, but Sheldon hit a double to left in the bottom of the inning that scored sophomore pinch hitter Ryan Mottern (1-for-1) for the game-clinching run.

Roberts was lifted for senior right-hander Casey Brown after facing two batters in the top of the eighth. Brown retired the next two batters, giving the crowd something to cheer for on his final appearance at home.

UTPA scared the Sooners in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs off McAuliff. However, McCutchen relieved McAuliff and struck out his only at-bat to preserve the Sooners seven-game win streak.

The Sooners travel to Wichita State Tuesday to play the Shockers for the end of a home-and-home series. The Sooners beat the Shockers 7-3 in Norman on May 11.

Sooners Squeak By With 8-7 Win Over Broncs

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Sooners Squeak By With 8-7 Win Over Broncs

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