NMSooner'80
5/21/2009, 10:33 AM
Oklahoma outduels Tech in tourney opener
By George Watson | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Story last updated at 5/21/2009 - 1:43 am
OKLAHOMA CITY - Andrew Doyle wasn't quite as dominant in terms of runs allowed as he was the first time Texas Tech saw him, but Oklahoma's junior right-hander was just as effective.
Doyle, who held the Red Raiders scoreless for eight innings a month ago in Norman, allowed just two runs on four hits over eight innings Wednesday in the opening round of pool play at the Big 12 Championship, and Ross Hubbard drove in four runs on hits that Tech fielders barely missed making plays on, leading the Sooners to a 5-2 victory at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.
"I just tried to attack them the same," Doyle said. "(Catcher J.T. Wise) did a good job calling the game and we were on the same page. I didn't have to shake him off much. He knew what I wanted to throw. I just tried to go out and throw strikes and force contact early."
The loss, Tech's sixth straight in Big 12 tournament play, creates a deep hole for the Red Raiders to try and win the tournament coming out of pool play. Tech (24-31) must now win out - and hope the Sooners lose twice to Missouri and Texas A&M. Missouri beat the Aggies 5-2 earlier Wednesday. Tech will face the Tigers at 3 p.m. Friday and wind up pool play on Saturday against A&M.
The effort of Doyle and Hubbard tainted a solid outing by Tech starter AJ Ramos. All of Hubbard's RBIs came on a misplay by Taylor Ashby in the fourth and a ball that ricocheted off Chris Richburg's glove in the sixth. Oklahoma's other run came on an RBI groundout by Bryant Hernandez when his slow roller to second allowed Jamie Johnson to score from second to give the Sooners (41-16) the lead for good.
"It was real frustrating, but I just tried to go out and forget about it," said Ramos, who finished what could be his final collegiate outing giving up five runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts over 52/3 innings. He also moved into sixth on the school's career strikeout list with 241.
"They just created their own breaks. You can say that balls were misplayed but they also created opportunities for themselves and did a good job of that. They hit some good pitches and created their own opportunities to score."
Tech took the early lead when Joey Kenworthy singled to left center, taking second on a passed ball. Richburg then singled past a diving Hernandez, and Kenworthy slid past the tag of Wise for the first run of the game.
Second baseman Matt Harughty fielded Scott Lejeune's bouncer, but Harughty's throw to second went wide an into left field, rolling all the way to the wall down the third base line, allowing Richburg to make it 2-0.
But the Sooners were able to answer thanks to three straight two-out hits and the misplay by Ashby. With runners at the corners, Hubbard lined a sinking shot to center where Ashby tried to make a diving stab at the ball coming straight in, but missed, and the ball rolled to the wall in center for a two-run triple to tie the game.
In the fifth, Jamie Johnson led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hernandez then bounced one that Tech second baseman Willie Rueda had to charge, and his throw bounced in to Richburg, who dug it out. But Johnson, going to third, never stopped, rounding the bag and scoring before Richburg realized where he was to make it 3-2 Oklahoma.
Ramos allowed a walk and a single to right to put runners at first and second to open the sixth. Another sacrifice moved the runners up before Hubbard one-hopped a shot to Richburg, and the ball bounced off his glove on the dive an into shallow center field for two more runs and a 5-2 lead.
"I think our experience showed up tonight," OU head coach Sunny Golloway said. "Our kids understand every game in the Big 12 is extremely important. I thought, again, the game was about Andrew Doyle and him coming back, not on short rest ... but he wanted the ball and that showed tonight."
Five runs were plenty for Doyle, who retired 14 of the final 16 Red Raiders he faced before turning it over to closer Ryan Duke in the ninth for his 15th save of the season. Doyle left scattering a pair of runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
"He really limited our opportunities," Tech head coach Dan Spencer said. "We didn't get a lot of hits and he didn't walk anybody and he didn't hit anybody. We didn't have a lot of extra baserunners or extra opportunities. I thought he was sharper today (than in Norman). He basically threw three pitches where he wanted to. He was tough."
By George Watson | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Story last updated at 5/21/2009 - 1:43 am
OKLAHOMA CITY - Andrew Doyle wasn't quite as dominant in terms of runs allowed as he was the first time Texas Tech saw him, but Oklahoma's junior right-hander was just as effective.
Doyle, who held the Red Raiders scoreless for eight innings a month ago in Norman, allowed just two runs on four hits over eight innings Wednesday in the opening round of pool play at the Big 12 Championship, and Ross Hubbard drove in four runs on hits that Tech fielders barely missed making plays on, leading the Sooners to a 5-2 victory at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.
"I just tried to attack them the same," Doyle said. "(Catcher J.T. Wise) did a good job calling the game and we were on the same page. I didn't have to shake him off much. He knew what I wanted to throw. I just tried to go out and throw strikes and force contact early."
The loss, Tech's sixth straight in Big 12 tournament play, creates a deep hole for the Red Raiders to try and win the tournament coming out of pool play. Tech (24-31) must now win out - and hope the Sooners lose twice to Missouri and Texas A&M. Missouri beat the Aggies 5-2 earlier Wednesday. Tech will face the Tigers at 3 p.m. Friday and wind up pool play on Saturday against A&M.
The effort of Doyle and Hubbard tainted a solid outing by Tech starter AJ Ramos. All of Hubbard's RBIs came on a misplay by Taylor Ashby in the fourth and a ball that ricocheted off Chris Richburg's glove in the sixth. Oklahoma's other run came on an RBI groundout by Bryant Hernandez when his slow roller to second allowed Jamie Johnson to score from second to give the Sooners (41-16) the lead for good.
"It was real frustrating, but I just tried to go out and forget about it," said Ramos, who finished what could be his final collegiate outing giving up five runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts over 52/3 innings. He also moved into sixth on the school's career strikeout list with 241.
"They just created their own breaks. You can say that balls were misplayed but they also created opportunities for themselves and did a good job of that. They hit some good pitches and created their own opportunities to score."
Tech took the early lead when Joey Kenworthy singled to left center, taking second on a passed ball. Richburg then singled past a diving Hernandez, and Kenworthy slid past the tag of Wise for the first run of the game.
Second baseman Matt Harughty fielded Scott Lejeune's bouncer, but Harughty's throw to second went wide an into left field, rolling all the way to the wall down the third base line, allowing Richburg to make it 2-0.
But the Sooners were able to answer thanks to three straight two-out hits and the misplay by Ashby. With runners at the corners, Hubbard lined a sinking shot to center where Ashby tried to make a diving stab at the ball coming straight in, but missed, and the ball rolled to the wall in center for a two-run triple to tie the game.
In the fifth, Jamie Johnson led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hernandez then bounced one that Tech second baseman Willie Rueda had to charge, and his throw bounced in to Richburg, who dug it out. But Johnson, going to third, never stopped, rounding the bag and scoring before Richburg realized where he was to make it 3-2 Oklahoma.
Ramos allowed a walk and a single to right to put runners at first and second to open the sixth. Another sacrifice moved the runners up before Hubbard one-hopped a shot to Richburg, and the ball bounced off his glove on the dive an into shallow center field for two more runs and a 5-2 lead.
"I think our experience showed up tonight," OU head coach Sunny Golloway said. "Our kids understand every game in the Big 12 is extremely important. I thought, again, the game was about Andrew Doyle and him coming back, not on short rest ... but he wanted the ball and that showed tonight."
Five runs were plenty for Doyle, who retired 14 of the final 16 Red Raiders he faced before turning it over to closer Ryan Duke in the ninth for his 15th save of the season. Doyle left scattering a pair of runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
"He really limited our opportunities," Tech head coach Dan Spencer said. "We didn't get a lot of hits and he didn't walk anybody and he didn't hit anybody. We didn't have a lot of extra baserunners or extra opportunities. I thought he was sharper today (than in Norman). He basically threw three pitches where he wanted to. He was tough."