OU-NU Series Finale Ends in Tie

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H
OU	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	5	0	8	15
NU	1	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	2	0	8	10

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - no decision	-	-	-	-	-	-
L - no decision	-	-	-	-	-	-
S - none	-	-	-	-	-	-

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
NU - Abeita	5	2	3	2	0	1
OU - Baker	5	1	3	4	0	1

Sooner Baseball Central

2008 OU Baseball Media Guide

LINCOLN, Neb. -- For the first time since April 22, 2001, the OU baseball team recorded a tie on Sunday afternoon at No. 22 Nebraska. After 10 innings of play, the game ended in an 8-8 tie after the Big 12 travel rule was enforced.

The result takes OU's overall record to 17-7-1 and 0-2-1 in Big 12 play while Nebraska is 17-3-1 and 5-0-1.

"It's disappointing for a hard-fought game to end like this but we need to remember that these are student-athletes," said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. "That rule is enforced so that these kids can make the trip back to Oklahoma in time for Monday morning class.

"With that said, I am extremely proud of the mental toughness our team displayed today. They fought hard today and for each of the three games this weekend."

Oklahoma rallied for the second straight day in the ninth inning, but did not come up short on Sunday as it regained the lead with a five-run frame, highlighted by Aaron Baker's three-run home run (first of the year). The long ball easily cleared the right-field fence and gave OU an 8-6 lead. Spencer Selby drove in the Sooners' other two runs in the previous at-bat on a two-run, two-out single to center field.

After entering in relief in the eighth inning, Jake McCarter and the Sooners had a chance to record the save and the win in the bottom of the ninth, but Nebraska rallied to tie the game at eight apiece on Tyler Farst's sacrifice fly. The Huskers began the ninth with a solo home run off the bat of Mitch Abieta, narrowing the Sooners' lead to one run.

For the third time in the series, OU out hit Nebraska with a 15-10 advantage. Five different Sooners recorded multi-hit games including Selby (2-for-4) and Baker (3-for-5) with three and four RBIs, respectively.

The Sooners jumped on top early with two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of back-to-back, two-out singles by Mike Gosse and J.T. Wise. Selby drove in the first run on a single to right field, plating Gosse, and was followed by a RBI single up the middle by Aaron Baker to bring home Wise.

Nebraska battled right back in the bottom half of the first, scoring an unearned run on Jake Opitz's double to center field. The extra-base hit brought home Jake Mort, who reached on batter earlier on an error by Matt Harughty at third base.

OU took a 3- 1 lead in the top of the fifth on a pair of two-out doubles, as Gosse connected down the right-field line and Wise drove him in with a double of his own to the gap in left-center field.

OU starter Michael Rocha held Nebraska scoreless in the second, third and fourth innings, but surrendered four straight singles, including a RBI single by Nick Sullivan and a two-out single by Bryce Nimmo, which plated two more runs and gave the Huskers a 4-3 lead, in the fifth.

Rocha left the bases loaded with two outs as he was relieved by Chase Anderson and after a walk, the right-hander ended the inning with a fielder's choice. Rocha's start lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed four runs, three earned on seven hits and a walk. Rocha suffered his first loss of the year to fall to 2-1 and his counterpart, Aaron Pribanic improved to 3-0 with six strikeouts. Pribanic tossed 7 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on 10 hits and two walks.

In the bottom of the sixth, Nebraska increased its lead with a pair of runs off a RBI single by Nick Abieta and a sacrifice fly by Sullivan.

The Sooners return home to begin an eight-game home stand. That stretch kicks off with UT Arlington on Tuesday, Feb. 25 and continues with a three-game set with Baylor (March 28-30). The home stand also features a mid week game against Dallas Baptist on April 1 before OU battles Texas for a three-game series from April 4-6.

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