University of Oklahoma Athletics

Friday, May 7
Norman
7:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

21
vs
6

Kansas State

Sooner Offense Explodes In 21-6 Win Over Wildcats

Sooner Offense Explodes In 21-6 Win Over Wildcats

May 08, 2004 | Baseball

NORMAN, Okla. -     The 19th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners did it on the mound and at the plate to lift OU to a 21-6 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.  On the mound, Oklahoma senior pitcher Mark Roberts became the school's all-time strikeout leader with the 295th punch out of his career, while the Sooner offense provided ample run support to aid him to his career high tying seventh victory. 

The Sooners recorded a season high in runs and another in RBI with 17 as eight of the team's nine starters collected at least one hit.  Oklahoma improved its overall record to 29-18 and its Big 12 Conference mark to 15-7.  Kansas State fell to 23-23 overall and 3-16 in the league.

Box Score

“We started off a little shaky which concerned us, other than that we swung the bats well,” commented OU head coach Larry Cochell. “Other than that, the storyline of the game had to be Mark Roberts setting the school record for strikeouts.”

Roberts eclipsed former Sooners Austin Mix (2000-03) and Mark Redman (1994-95) who both previously held the strikeout record with 294.  It marks the second Sooner career record that the Owasso, Okla., native has broken this season as he became the all-time innings pitched leader two weeks ago.  His eight strikeouts in the game put him over the top for the record as he finished the game with six strong innings and allowed only three runs (two earned) on six hits, with two walks. 

Roberts and OU fell into an early 3-0 after the first inning, but then both settled in to hold KSU scoreless over the next six frames while the Sooner offense broke out for 18 of its runs in the first four innings.  Down 3-1 after plating an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning, Oklahoma broke out for the first of its two seven run innings.  SIx of the seven runs in the frame were scored with two outs aided by consecutive two out RBI hits by junior first baseman Ole Sheldon (2-for-4), junior third baseman Matt Bose (1-for-4) and junior designated hitter Brenan Herrera (1-for-2).

Sheldon drove in his career high tying third run of the game in the third inning with an opposite field single to ignite a four run rally.  The second run came home on a wild pitch, while freshman catcher Josh Stinson (2-for-2) capped off the inning with a two run triple. 

In the fourth inning, two home runs accounted for six of the seven runs.  Junior designated hitter Eric Thornton (1-for-3) hit his first grand slam in a Sooner uniform and was followed two batters later by Stinson's two run shot to right field.

After OU's bats were silenced for two innings in the fifth and sixth frames, redshirt-freshman Blake Hurlbutt (1-for-1) got in on the home run act in the seventh inning and went deep to right field for his first career home run.

The Sooners plated the final run in the eighth inning after sophomore pinch hitter LaFringe Hayes (1-for-1) tripled and scored on a fielder's choice.

The two teams will square off again on Saturday at 1 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.  Junior lefty David Purcey (5-4) will start for the Sooners, while senior righthanded pitcher Carlos Torres (5-5) will take the mound for the Wildcats.

 

 

 

 

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