Stephen F. Austin
Oklahoma
Baseball Falls at OU, 10-6
5/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2007
NORMAN, Okla. - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks suffered a 10-6 loss Monday night against the Oklahoma Sooners at Dale Mitchell Park in Norman, Okla. SFA hung in with the Sooners through the first half of the game, taking a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but a late-inning rally by OU was too much for the Lumberjacks. SFA moves to 28-25 overall while OU improves to 30-22 on the year.
Steven Hill started things off for the Lumberjacks when he hit his 23rd home run of the year in the top of the first inning. With two outs, the Houston senior sent the first shot sailing over the left field wall. But the Sooners answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the same inning.
In the top of the second, Kevin Crabtree swung at a wild pitch for strike three, but was able to make it to first base in time and advanced to second on the errant throw by the OU catcher. Crabtree moved to third on a ground out by Noel Trevino and scored when Kyle Freeman grounded out to shortstop, giving SFA the 2-1 advantage.
Oklahoma took advantage of two Lumberjack errors, scoring three runs off two hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead, its first of the game. Then, in the top of the fifth, Jeff Brewer reached when he was hit by a pitch and moved to second when Kevin Croft drew a one-out walk. Both crossed the plate to knot the score at four when Zach Gardner doubled to left center.
SFA took ahold of the lead in the top of the sixth when Hill singled to left field and moved to third when Chris Smith put a base hit in right field. Crabtree then singled through the left side to score Hill and give the Lumberjacks a 5-4 lead.
OU then scored six runs over the nex three innings to take a 10-5 lead into the top of the ninth. Brian Ferguson led off with a single to right field and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Freeman struck out, Ferguson once again took advantage of another wild pitch to move to third. He scored the Lumberjacks' sixth and final run of the game on a Brewer ground out. Ryan Sinclair then struck out to make the 10-6 score final.
Gardner, Hill and Brewer each had two hits. The other five hits came from the middle of the SFA lineup, as Smith, Crabtree, Trevino and Freeman each had one. Gardner also had two RBI in the outing.
Heath Konesheck suffered his fourth loss of the season, remaining winless as he gave up three runs off one hit and two walks in only one inning of work. SFA starter Jacob Leonhardt gave up four runs - two earned - off six hits in 4.0 innings of work. He struck out three while walking one.
The Lumberjacks return to Jaycees Field Thursday afternoon to wrap up the 2007 regular season against Sam Houston State. Thursday's and Friday's games will be played at 3 p.m. while Saturday's contest begins at 1 p.m. The nine Lumberjack seniors will be honored prior to Saturday's game. The seniors are Steven Hill, Jeremy Arterburn, David Jeans, Kyle Freeman, Chris Smith, Josh Bone, Lance Luetge, Chance Tabor and Jacob Leonhardt.
-SFA-
