SWOSU Goes 3-1 Against WT
March 1, 2008
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University found plenty of heroes in its baseball series against West Texas A&M University winning three of four games Friday and Saturday in Weatherford.
SWOSU lost the first game Friday 8-4 only to win the next three by 9-0, 21-20 and 14-13. The Bulldogs are now 6-10 on the year and 4-7 in the Lone Star Conference
Max Grocki, Blain Perkins and Jonathan Fontanet each took turns in the spotlight. However, the Bulldogs needed everyone in Saturday’s marathon doubleheader that produced a total 68 runs and took nearly seven hours to complete.
Grocki (1-1) sparkled on the mound in Friday’s second game allowing just two hits in a seven-inning shutout. He struck out five batters, walked two and allowed only one base runner to reach second.
SWOSU banged out 10 hits and were aided by five errors by the Buffs. Bow Buckner, Kenny Hare and Dakota Streber each collected two hits and two RBI’s as the Bulldogs chased WTAMU starter Eric Henderson by the sixth inning.
In Saturday’s 21-20 win, Perkins two-out, ninth-inning double scored the tying and winning run. The hit by Perkins capped an amazing game in which the Weatherford junior went five-for-seven with three runs scored and four RBI’s.
SWOSU found themselves down 18-11 after an 11-run sixth inning that took three Bulldogs pitchers to get three outs.
Streber keyed a six-run seventh that brought the Bulldogs to within one at 18-17. Streber, who ended the game going four-for-six with three RBI’s, had a two-RBI double in the inning that did considerable damage.
The Bulldogs, who yielded 27 hits in the game, were forced to pitch outfielder Moose Wathen in the final three innings. Wathen (1-0) did an admirable job in the windy conditions allowing only three runs on six hits while getting nine outs for the win.
SWOSU ended the slugfest with 22 hits. WTAMU blasted four home runs while Dakota James hit the Bulldogs only round tripper.
In the finale, Fontanet put SWOSU in the driver’s seat with a three-run homer in the fifth to put SWOSU ahead 13-6. The margin was 14-7 after five before the Buffs began to chip away.
WTAMU got within one at 14-13 and had runners on first and second before Nathan Perez closed the door in the seventh. Perez struck out two before getting Jake Parsons to end the game on a force for his first save of the year.
Starter Chris Morrison (3-1) got the win despite struggling with his control. He gave up eight runs, four of which were earned. He struck out two batters while walking seven.
SWOSU will next play Tuesday at St. Gregory’s before resuming LSC play Thursday, March 6 with a four-game series at East Central University.