Baseball Stumbles in ASU Finale

April 13, 2008

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University pushed Angelo State University into a tight spot only to see the Rams wiggle free and escape with a 9-6 baseball victory Sunday in Weatherford. The victory allowed the Rams to win the series against the Bulldogs, taking three of the four games after ASU won Saturday’s doubleheader by scores of 12-4 and 17-3.

SWOSU slipped to 10-30 overall and 8-27 in the Lone Star Conference play. ASU improved to 31-15 and 25-11 in league play. The Bulldogs will next play a four-game series at Tarleton State before closing out the season two weeks from now against Cameron University in single games on April 25 and April 27.

SWOSU appeared to be in good shape after rallying for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 6-5 lead. The Bulldogs strung together four consecutive extra base hits as Dakota Streber led off with a double and scored when Chris Morrison doubled. Bow Buckner then doubled to score Morrison and later scored himself on an RBI single by Nelson Espinal, putting SWOSU in front 6-5.

Angelo State in the ninth took advantage of two fielding miscues, including an errant throw by Espinal that allow two runs to score. The Rams went ahead with a two-out, two RBI double by Charley Belew off reliever Bulldog Adam Phillips who was the tough-luck loser.

Streber had three of SWOUSU’s 11 hits to star offensively. Morrison and Hare each had two base hits as the Bulldogs manage to stay step-for-step with the Rams for much of the game.

Bulldog starterMax Grocki did not have his best stuff but still was resourceful enough to get out of some tight spots. He pitched out of a bases loaded no out jam in the fifth. He gave up 10 hits in seven innings, allowed five runs, only three of which were earned.