Sooners Even Series with 5-4 Win

WACO, Texas -- The No. 19 OU baseball team (23-10 overall, 4-4 Big 12) won the first game of a doubleheader on Friday with a 5-4 win over Baylor (18-15, 3-8) and evened the series at one game apiece. The Sooners outhit the Bears for the second straight game holding them to four hits while connecting for 10.

Oklahoma used a three-run sixth to come back from a 2-1 deficit as Heath Taylor improved to 6-1 and Garrett Richards saved his eighth contest of the season.

Baylor rallied with two runs in the bottom of the eighth as Taylor gave way to the Sooners' bullpen and Nich Conaway and Richards held the opposition at bay.

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The Sooners manufactured their first run of the game in the first inning. Aljay Davis led off the frame with a single to the gap in right and moved to second on Joe Dunigan's infield single. With runners on first and second, Aaron Reza advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt and Davis scored on Aaron Baker's sacrifice fly to left field.

Trailing 1-0, the Bears bounced back with two runs in the second frame. Taylor walked Aaron Miller to begin the inning and then two singles and a wild pitch gave Baylor a 2-1 advantage.

OU chased Baylor starter Randall Linebaugh after 5 2/3 innings and a three-run sixth off of back-to-back doubles. Mike Gosse provide the first of two extra-base hits in the inning with a pinch-hit, two-run double down the right-field line. Jarod Freeman followed with a double to left and plated Gosse.

Jackson Williams provided OU with an insurance run and a 5-2 lead with his RBI single to right in the top of the eighth. Williams plated Joseph Hughes, who pinch ran for Devin Shepherd (walk) earlier in the inning.

Taylor won his team-leading sixth game of the season with seven innings of work and four strikeouts. The OU defense helped out Taylor, who walked a season-high six batters, with three double plays. The Sooners' starter left the game with two on and zero outs before giving way to Conaway.

The reliever recorded two quick outs in the eighth, but not without allowing Raynor Campbell to cross home plate on Miller's groundout to second base. The Bears would score one more run on a Tim Jackson's RBI single. Both runs were charged to Taylor who allowed four runs off three hits.

The second game of the today's doubleheader, the series finale, will get underway at 6:35 p.m. That game was originally scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday, April 7 but was moved to Friday because of the threat of inclement weather.

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