May 23, 2008
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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Rebel Ridling was 3-for-6 with two home runs and six RBI as seventh-ranked Oklahoma State defeated Baylor 14-3 in seven innings Friday night in pool-play action at the Big 12 Conference Championship at Bricktown Ballpark. The sixth-seeded Bears (32-25) saw their five-game winning streak in pool play at the event end, losing in pool play for the first time since 2006.
The second-seeded Cowboys (41-16) snapped a nine-game losing streak in Big 12 Championship play, winning for the first time since 2005. Baylor both started and ended the streak.
By virtue of Nebraska's 5-2 victory over Kansas State earlier in the day, all four teams in Pool Two are still alive to reach Sunday's title game headed into Saturday's final day of pool play. If Nebraska defeats Oklahoma State and Baylor defeats Kansas State, the Bears would advance to the title game for the second straight season, the third time in five years and the sixth time ever. If Oklahoma State defeats Nebraska, the Bears cannot reach the title game. Nebraska and Oklahoma State play at 4 p.m. CDT; Baylor and Kansas State meet at 7:30 p.m.
Oklahoma State scored six runs on six hits in the third inning, breaking a 1-1 tie and taking control of the game. Matt Hague's three-run homer started the scoring. After Dean Green's double, Ridling laced the first of his two homers to right-center. Donnie Webb capped the inning with an RBI single as the Cowboys sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame.
After OSU added a run in the top of the fourth, Baylor answered with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Paul Miles plated the first run with an RBI double, and Raynor Campbell scored Miles with an RBI single on the very next pitch.
However, that was the end of the offense for the Bears. Oklahoma State pushed its lead to 10-3 on Luis Flores' two-run double in the sixth. Ridling brought the game to an early end with a grand slam in the top of the seventh. That pushed the Cowboys' lead to 11 runs and brought the league's 10-run mercy rule into affect. Baylor put two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but reliever Matt Peck's first pitch of the game induced a game-ending double play from Aaron Miller.
OSU starter Andrew Oliver (7-2) lasted 6.1 innings and earned the victory, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts. Baylor starter Craig Fritsch (3-4) was saddled with the loss; he was touched for eight runs on 11 hits and two walks with one strikeout over 4.0 innings.
Miles and Dustin Dickerson both had two-hit games for the Bears. All nine starters had at least one hit for the Cowboys, led by Webb's four-hit night.
NOTES: Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 34-25, including an 8-3 advantage in neutral site meetings. The Cowboys lead the series 22-20 since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997, including a 3-2 edge in Big 12 Championship meetings. ... Campbell (eight games) and Dickerson (four games) both extended hitting streaks. Campbell's is a season long. ... Ben Booker (five games) and Adam Hornung (five games) both saw streaks end.
