The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma State
Baseball wins series opener at Oklahoma State, 7-2
04.03.2009 | Baseball
April 3, 2009
Box Score | Box Score 
STILLWATER, Okla. -- The No. 9 Texas Longhorns got a season-high three home runs, including two by Connor Rowe, to beat the No. 17 Oklahoma State Cowboys in Big 12 Conference baseball action at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium on Friday evening.
The Longhorns drew first blood with five runs in the top of the second inning. The uprising was highlight by UT's first back-to-back home runs of the season. With two outs, Kevin Keyes hit a double to the gap in right centerfield and David Hernandez walked to set up a three-run dinger by Michael Torres over the leftfield fence. Rowe followed with a solo blast in the same spot to inflate the cushion to 4-0. The rally was capped off by a single through the left side of the infield by Travis Tucker and an RBI double off the wall in left centerfield by Brandon Loy to stake the Horns to a 5-0 lead.
The Cowboys' broke their scoring seal in the bottom of the fourth inning. Neil Medchill roped a leadoff single to centerfield, moved to second on a walk by Dean Green, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tyrone Hambly and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tom Belza to trim the lead to 5-1.
Oklahoma State shaved another run off the lead in the seventh. With two outs, Doug Kroll hit a single which was misplayed by Longhorns' leftfielder Tant Shepherd for an error. With Kroll at second, Randy McCurry laced a pinch-hit single through the left side of the infield to score the run and cut the lead to 5-2.
The Longhorns manufactured an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Cameron Rupp drew a lead-off walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Preston Clark, moved to third on a groundout by Keyes and scored on a single up the middle by Hernandez.
Rowe added his second home run of the game and his third of the season to lead off the ninth inning to balloon the lead to 7-2.
Chance Ruffin (5-2) allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks whiles striking out six over 7.1 innings to earn the win. Austin Wood entered the game with runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth and induced an inning ending double play. He allowed a hit in the ninth inning, but forced another double play to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Andrew Oliver (4-3) was saddled with the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three over 7.0 innings.
Torres led the Texas offense, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. Rowe went 2-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI. Loy added two hits and one RBI.
Neil Medchill was the lone Cowboy to log multiple hits, ending the game 2-for-4 with one run.
The teams play game two of the series on Saturday with first pitch slated for 2 p.m.
