Dunigans HR in the 10th Tops Tech

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma Sooners surged to a 2-0 lead in the series against Texas Tech after Saturday's 8-7 win, which was made possible on Joe Dunigan's walk-off home run in the 10th inning to left field.

The solo homer was the Sooners' first walk-off since Ryan Rohlinger on March 13, 2005 against Northwestern State and was the third of the game for Oklahoma (fifth in the series). Aljay Davis (solo) and Jackson Williams (two-run) each contributed game-tying shots in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively to improve OU's record to 8-1 this season when connecting for two or more home runs.

The back and forth battle, featuring 12 hits by each team and three lead changes and four ties, was the Sooners' third straight win as they jumped to 32-22 overall and 11-15 in Big 12 play. The loss takes Texas Tech's record to 27-27 and 7-18. The Red Raiders have dropped eight straight games at L. Dale Mitchell Park and nine overall in the series.

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“We have one more game to go and we have to take care of it to be able to advance,” said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. “If we can just keep winning and keep advancing, we are going to become a very dangerous team.”

The Sooners jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Williams' triple in the first inning, which plated Aaron Ivey who began the game with a walk. Heath Taylor maintained the Sooners' 1-0 lead as he held Texas Tech scoreless after three innings with five strikeouts. However, the Red Raiders broke through in the fourth on Kyle Martin's two-run homer to the gap in left center.

With a 2-1 advantage, Texas Tech increased the lead to two runs on Chris Richburg's run-scoring single in the fifth inning. The Sooners battled back in the bottom half of the frame on Ivey's RBI double and Aaron Baker's run-scoring single to center field. The RBI double was the first of two doubles by Ivey on the day, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

The teams exchanged single runs in the sixth inning. Back to back doubles by James Leverton and Martin, followed by a single by Taylor Ashby chased Taylor out of the game after 5 1/3 innings of work.

Taylor gave up four runs on six hits and three walks, while his counterpart, Colt Hynes, went six innings and allowed the Sooners to tie the game before his departure. In the Sooners' sixth, Davis drove Hynes' 0-1 pitch over the wall in left to knot things up at four runs apiece. Hynes surrendered five runs off nine hits and a walk.

In the top of the seventh, the Red Raiders took an 7-5 lead, with Garrett Richards pitching for OU, on Richburg's sac fly and Smith's RBI single through the left side of the infield.

After connecting for a triple in the first and a single in the fourth, Williams' tied the game in the seventh inning at six with a two-run homer to left field. Williams' had one final at-bat in the ninth in order to hit for the cycle, but instead grounded out to short. Williams finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBIs and has been swinging a hot bat in last couple of weeks for OU. The junior catcher has driven in 23 runs in his last 16 games with five doubles, three triples and two dingers.

Texas Tech again regained the lead in the top half of the eighth inning on a fielder's choice off the bat of Doug Thennis. The Sooners quickly responded in their next at-bat to tie the game for the fourth and final time. The Sooners loaded the bases, with zero outs, on Dunigan's walk, Davis' bunt single and Joseph Hughes' hit by pitch, but would only get one run as Mike Gosse' pinch-hitting opportunity resulted in a solid double play turned by the Tech defense.

Hughes, the Sooners' starting centerfielder, took over the pitching duties in the eighth and limited the opposition to one run off four hits over the final three innings. Hughes (6-3), who earned his first win since April 1 at Texas, kept the Red Raiders at bay long enough to set up Dunigan's solo home run in the bottom of the 10th off Chris Ortmeier (0-3), resulting in OU's second extra-inning win in as many chances this season (Texas A&M on March 25)

The Sooners and Red Raiders will conclude the regular season with Sunday's finale in Norman. The contest is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch and will be joined in progress on KOKC 1520 AM following the OU softball team's game in the NCAA Amherst Regional (12 p.m. start).

After Saturday's action from around the conference, the Sooners earned a berth in the 2007 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship. The win on Saturday, coupled with Kansas' loss to Nebraska, gives OU a chance to compete for the conference title from May 23-27 at the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City. Click here for ticket information for the Big 12 Championship.

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