Jay C. Upchurch
3/17/2010, 10:57 PM
Johnson’s Homer in the Seventh Lifts OU
OU opens Big 12 play this weekend at home against Baylor
NORMAN -- Casey Johnson’s second homer of the season came in a clutch spot and provided a one-run cushion in the seventh inning, as the No. 13 Sooners (17-2) went on to win 8-4 over Massachusetts (0-6) on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma came from behind for the eighth time this season and broke open a close game late with three runs in the seventh and another trio in the eighth, as the Sooners and 892 fans inside L. Dale Mitchell Park celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day.
Johnson’s two-run, two-out homer down the left-field line gave Oklahoma a 5-4 lead and a longball each of the last 11 games. The late-inning power is nothing new for the Sooners as 11 of their Big 12 leading 25 homers have occurred in the seventh inning or later. In addition, the round tripper was the 13th homer of the year with two outs on the board for the Sooners.
Chris Ellison provided the first run during the seventh-inning rally and he came right back in the eighth to drive in two more runs as OU batted around the order for the sixth time this season. Caleb Bushyhead also provided some extra insurance in the Sooners’ last at-bat with a RBI single. Bushyhead and Ross Hubbard, who’s double in the eighth got the offense rolling again, led OU with two hits apiece.
The eight runs off 10 hits was plenty for freshman Jack Mayfield (1-0) to record his first victory of the season. In his third relief appearance of 2010, Mayfield held UMass scoreless for 3 1/3 innings and did not allow a walk while scattering two hits. He struck out three batters after entering the game with OU trailing 4-2.
“He has ice water in his veins,” said OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway on Mayfield. “I like his poise for a freshman on the mound and at second base. He is a good player.”
Mayfield started the previous two games at second base and tossed his longest outing of the year on Wednesday.
The Minutemen’s Bryan Leigh (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs, but only three earned off six hits and two walks. Leigh nearly came out of the game after a mound visit by the UMass coaching staff prior to Johnson’s homer in the seventh, but stayed in and finished with nine strikeouts.
The Gedman brothers gave UMass a 2-0 lead after the top of the fourth. Mike Gedman, who tossed eight innings in the start on Tuesday night, drove in a run on fielder’s choice while Mark Gedman’s double in the fourth extended the lead to 2-0.
Cameron Seitzer singled up the middle in the fourth inning to cut the lead in half and was immediately followed by another two-out single by Kaleb Herren that tied the game at two. Seitzer’s single extended his hitting streak to eight games, a career high, and he has driven in 13 runs in that span.
UMass regained the lead in the fifth with two runs to chase OU starter Drew Verhagen out of the contest. Verhagen, making his first start, allowed four runs, two earned, off six hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.
In addition to Mayfield’s performance, the OU bullpen was solid again as Brandon Bargas and Anthony Collazo did not allow a run or hit in one inning of combined work.
OU continues the current five-game home stand on Friday with the Big 12 opener scheduled for 6:30 p.m. against Baylor (11-6). Saturday’s game is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch while Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m.
The first two games will be simulcast on the Sooner Sports Network with a broadcast on KREF 1400 AM and a telecast on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City and Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa.
For more information on OU baseball, visit www.SoonerSports.com.
OU SID Report
OU opens Big 12 play this weekend at home against Baylor
NORMAN -- Casey Johnson’s second homer of the season came in a clutch spot and provided a one-run cushion in the seventh inning, as the No. 13 Sooners (17-2) went on to win 8-4 over Massachusetts (0-6) on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma came from behind for the eighth time this season and broke open a close game late with three runs in the seventh and another trio in the eighth, as the Sooners and 892 fans inside L. Dale Mitchell Park celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day.
Johnson’s two-run, two-out homer down the left-field line gave Oklahoma a 5-4 lead and a longball each of the last 11 games. The late-inning power is nothing new for the Sooners as 11 of their Big 12 leading 25 homers have occurred in the seventh inning or later. In addition, the round tripper was the 13th homer of the year with two outs on the board for the Sooners.
Chris Ellison provided the first run during the seventh-inning rally and he came right back in the eighth to drive in two more runs as OU batted around the order for the sixth time this season. Caleb Bushyhead also provided some extra insurance in the Sooners’ last at-bat with a RBI single. Bushyhead and Ross Hubbard, who’s double in the eighth got the offense rolling again, led OU with two hits apiece.
The eight runs off 10 hits was plenty for freshman Jack Mayfield (1-0) to record his first victory of the season. In his third relief appearance of 2010, Mayfield held UMass scoreless for 3 1/3 innings and did not allow a walk while scattering two hits. He struck out three batters after entering the game with OU trailing 4-2.
“He has ice water in his veins,” said OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway on Mayfield. “I like his poise for a freshman on the mound and at second base. He is a good player.”
Mayfield started the previous two games at second base and tossed his longest outing of the year on Wednesday.
The Minutemen’s Bryan Leigh (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs, but only three earned off six hits and two walks. Leigh nearly came out of the game after a mound visit by the UMass coaching staff prior to Johnson’s homer in the seventh, but stayed in and finished with nine strikeouts.
The Gedman brothers gave UMass a 2-0 lead after the top of the fourth. Mike Gedman, who tossed eight innings in the start on Tuesday night, drove in a run on fielder’s choice while Mark Gedman’s double in the fourth extended the lead to 2-0.
Cameron Seitzer singled up the middle in the fourth inning to cut the lead in half and was immediately followed by another two-out single by Kaleb Herren that tied the game at two. Seitzer’s single extended his hitting streak to eight games, a career high, and he has driven in 13 runs in that span.
UMass regained the lead in the fifth with two runs to chase OU starter Drew Verhagen out of the contest. Verhagen, making his first start, allowed four runs, two earned, off six hits and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.
In addition to Mayfield’s performance, the OU bullpen was solid again as Brandon Bargas and Anthony Collazo did not allow a run or hit in one inning of combined work.
OU continues the current five-game home stand on Friday with the Big 12 opener scheduled for 6:30 p.m. against Baylor (11-6). Saturday’s game is slated for a 2 p.m. first pitch while Sunday’s finale is set for 1 p.m.
The first two games will be simulcast on the Sooner Sports Network with a broadcast on KREF 1400 AM and a telecast on Cox Channel 7 in Oklahoma City and Cox Channel 3 in Tulsa.
For more information on OU baseball, visit www.SoonerSports.com.
OU SID Report