Completed Event: Baseball versus (3) Georgia on June 15, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 3
Final
Baseball
4
vs (3) Georgia
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma Baseball Team Tops No. 11 Arizona State, 6-3 :: Cherry wins third of season, Jakubauskas hits three-run homer in third.
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Rocky Cherry picked up his third win of the season as Oklahoma topped No. 11 Arizona State 6-3. |
March 15, 2002
MESA, Ariz. - The Oklahoma baseball squad (13-4, 3-0 Big 12) won the first game of a key series against No. 11 Arizona State, 6-3, at Hohokam Park Friday evening. Rocky Cherry (3-2), who pitched six innings, scattered five hits and allowed just two runs while striking out six, got the win for Oklahoma. David Purcey picked up his third save by pitching three innings, striking out five and and giving up just one unearned run.
"This was a great game for us and a very important win for a young ball club," said Oklahoma head coach Larry Cochell. "I think our defense and pitching were excellent tonight, and it all starts with pitching. Both Rocky (Cherry) and David Purcey pitched very well in this ballgame. Purcey had great command and kept the ball down. We have two more games to play in this series and we need to continue to have the good execution we did tonight."
In the second inning, Arizona State scored first as third baseman Dustin Pedroia singled and scored on catcher Dennis Wyrick's base hit to center field. OU answered in its half of the third however, as Denver Kitch singled and stole second base, then scored on an error by ASU shortstop Ian Kinsler. Chris Jakubauskas then smacked a three run home run, his fifth of the season, into the right field bullpen for a 4-1 OU lead.
ASU first baseman Jeremy West hit a home run off of Cherry in the fourth inning to draw within two runs, but in the fifth, Matt Bose drove in Eddie Cornejo with a triple to left center field to extend the lead back to three at 5-2. Spencer Wyman hit a sacrafice fly to left in the eighth to score Charlie Frasier, giving the Sooners a four run lead, and ASU rounded out the scoring with a run in the eighth.
Bose was 2-for-5 with two doubles, his ninth and tenth on the season. Jakubauskas had three RBI, while Eddie Cornejo had two base hits. Tyler Johnson hit a double, his eighth extra base hit of the season.
Despite setting a new career high with 10 strikeouts, Mike Esposito (4-3) took the loss for Arizona State.
Game attendance at Hohokam Park, the winter home of the Chicago Cubs, was 2,242, the most to see the Sooners play during the 2002 season. Oklahoma battles Arizona State again on Saturday at 6 p.m. as Mark Roberts (3-1) takes the mound for OU and Robbie McClellan (4-2) will man the hill for the Sun Devils.
