Taylor Strikes Out 11 in 7-2 Win

NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners rebounded to win game two of the series against Michigan State on Saturday with a 7-2 victory in front of 1,151 fans at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU was led by starter Heath Taylor's (4-0) 11 strikeouts and Jackson Williams' two RBIs off the bench.

The Sooners broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning to score five runs in their final three at-bats and improve to 16-6 overall on the season. OU is 12-1 at home in 2007 and handed Michigan State its' first loss in the all-time series.

The Spartans, who are 2-1 lifetime against the Sooners, dropped to 6-7 with the loss.

Box Score | 2007 Stats | 2007 Schedule

Heath Taylor, who earned his first start of the season on Saturday, was the star of the game. Taylor took advantage of the opportunity to become the first Sooner to strike out 10 or more batters since Daniel McCutchen (13) on April 7, 2006 against Texas A&M. Taylor's 11 strikeouts came during his longest outing of the season, eight innings, and was accompanied by one earned run off three this and one walk.

“Heath showed us a week ago after helping secure the victory against San Diego at Petco Ballpark that he would be a quality starter and proved that again today,” said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. “He was special today even though our offense was making mistakes. He didn't let any of that distract him and that should be a lesson for all of our pitchers.”

For the second straight game, the Spartans jumped on top with a Steve Gerstenber RBI single in the third inning.

Oklahoma responded in the bottom half of the third to plate two runs and take the first lead in the series. Michigan State came right back in its next at-bat to regain the one-run lead in the fourth.

Two innings later, OU rallied in the bottom of the sixth to build a 4-2 advantage. After Brandon Moss, who drove his second career triple to the gap in left center with one out, scored on a dropped ball by the Spartans' catcher on a failed pick-off play, Williams came up to the plate as a pinch hitter with Joseph Hughes on second base. Williams wasted no time in getting involved with the offense and connected for a RBI single to give OU a two-run lead.

The Sooners increased their cushion with a three-run eighth inning, but the Spartans rallied to load the bases and bring the game-tying run to the on-deck circle in the ninth. Jimmy Rollins came out of the Sooner bullpen to stop the threat with a strikeout and a game-ending force out at third base. Rollins earned his first career save with two-thirds of an inning pitched.

Aljay Davis, Aaron Reza, Aaron Baker and Williams finished Saturday's game with two hits apiece. With a single in his first at-bat of the game, Baker moved his hitting streak to 22 games, a mark that puts him in sole possession of third place all-time at Oklahoma.

Williams joined Joe Dunigan as the Sooners' top run producers against the Spartans. Dunigan was 1-for-5 with two RBIs and Williams drove in a run in each of his only two at-bats off the bench.

“Jackson did a really good job after not seeing the ball that well yesterday,” said Gollloway. “I was surprised they pitched him inside and that is a place he can hit the ball and now he has to work on going the other way.”

Despite the victory, OU stranded eight base runners to MSU's five on Saturday. In the first two games of the series, OU has stranded 19 total runners and has only managed to hit .276 with runners in scoring position.

“This was not the audition we were looking for the weekend before our Big 12 season begins,” said Golloway. “Regardless of the win, we have not played well in the last two games. So what we are looking for tomorrow is a team that is going to come out and play like we did for the 13 games where we were 12-1. We are looking for that team and the consistent play that has been missing in the last two games.”

The Sooners and Spartans will conclude the series on Sunday at noon at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The game will be broadcast live on the Sooners' flagship station, KOKC 1520 AM.

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