University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Baseball Team Loses Heartbreaker to Baylor :: Baylor scores two runs in ninth to take 5-4 victory, Arkison injures ankle.

Oklahoma Baseball Team Loses Heartbreaker to Baylor :: Baylor scores two runs in ninth to take 5-4 victory, Arkison injures ankle. Oklahoma Baseball Team Loses Heartbreaker to Baylor

Baylor scores two runs in ninth to take 5-4 victory, Arkison injures ankle.




Mark Roberts struck out a career-high eight batters on Friday night, but the Sooners lost a heart-breaking 5-4 game to Baylor.

March 29, 2002

NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma baseball team dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to No. 12 Baylor on Friday evening, and in a freak play in the eighth inning, OU outfielder Matt Arkison severely injured his left leg while running the bases. Baylor improved to 20-9 (9-4 Big 12) with the win, while Oklahoma fell to 16-9 (4-3 Big 12).

With the game tied at three in the eighth inning, Oklahoma pulled ahead, however it was on a play the Sooners much rather would've had back. Arkison was inserted to play right field after the sixth inning and in his first at bat of the evening, smacked the ball into the right center field gap. As he rounded second base, he stopped abruptly and collapsed on an injured left leg. Arkison managed to crawl back to second base, and because the Baylor relay throw ended up in the Oklahoma dugout, pinch runner Greg Kish advanced to third and then home on the two-base error.

Baylor scored two runs in the ninth inning to take a 5-4 lead and the Sooners were unable to mount a comeback. But it was Arkison who was on the minds of the entire Oklahoma baseball family.

"I just feel terrible for Matt and hope he's doing alright," said OU head coach Larry Cochell. "He hit second base wrong and you could tell right away that he injured his leg. We don't know the extent of the injury yet, but it just made me sick to my stomach. It really put a damper on this whole night."

Mark Roberts struck out a career-high eight and the Sooner offense was highlighted by back-to-back home runs by left-handers Luke Alexander and Spencer Wyman in the fourth inning.

Baylor began the scoring with two runs in the third inning, but the Sooners evened the game with the back-to-back home runs by Alexander and Wyman in the fifth. Alexander's home run, off an 0-2 pitch by BU's Steven White, was his first of the season. Wyman homered on the very next pitch for his second dinger of the season.

In the seventh inning, Jason Fransz doubled to left field to drive in Eddie Cornejo for a 3-2 Oklahoma lead, however the Bears scored a run in the eighth to draw even. OU took a 4-3 lead, but Baylor manufactured two runs in the ninth to seal the win.

"The kids really battled," said Cochell, "and we hit some screamers that just didn't fall. All around, it was just a tough ball game and we need to bounce back tomorrow."

Oklahoma and Baylor play the second game of this series tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. The Sooners attempted to push the game forward to noon to avoid a conflict with the OU men's Final Four game, however an agreement couldn't be made between Oklahoma and the visiting Bears. Thus, the game will be played at its original 2 p.m. time. Freshman Jarod McAuliff will make his first collegiate start for the Sooners and Jared Theodorakos will man the hill for BU.