Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma State
No. 8 Oklahoma State Clinches Series With 13-3 Win
May 10, 2008 | Baseball
May 10, 2008
STILLWATER, Okla. - No. 8 Oklahoma State used two big innings offensively and rode the arm of sophomore left-hander Tyler Lyons to a commanding 13-3 win over Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. The win by Oklahoma State clinches the series win for the Cowboys with the finale scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The loss drops Texas Tech to 21-28 on the season and to 6-17 in league play. Today's loss ensures that the Red Raiders will suffer their first losing season since 1987. Oklahoma State improves to 37-13 overall and to 16-7 in Big 12 action.
After 2 ½ innings of scoreless baseball, the Oklahoma State Cowboys changed that pattern as the jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the third inning. Second baseman Thomas Belza led off the frame with a single and then moved to third on a single by catcher Luis Flores. Third baseman Tyrone Hambly drove in the first run with a safety squeeze bunt down the first baseline that scored Belza. Center fielder Donnie Webb tacked on three more runs in the next at-bat when he blasted a three-run home run over the center field fence.
Texas Tech scratched out a run in the top of the fourth when Roger Kieschnick followed up a single by Chris Richburg with a double down the left field line. The ball was bobbled by OSU left fielder Neil Medchill and Richburg was able to score all the way from first and made the score 4-1 in favor of the Cowboys.
Things fell apart for the Red Raiders in a big way in the bottom half of the fifth as the Cowboys exploded for six runs and pushed their lead to nine (10-1). Rebel Ridling delivered the crushing blow as he blasted a three-run home run over the center field wall. The home run was his 13th of the year. The Cowboys collected their six runs on six total hits and no Red Raider miscues.
The afternoon belonged to sophomore Oklahoma State left-hander Tyler Lyons who picked up his ninth win of the season. The Lubbock (Frenship High School) product held the Red Raiders to three runs on seven hits over six innings of work and logged six strikeouts. Chad Bettis (4-4) was tagged with the loss for the Red Raiders as he surrendered 12 runs on 15 hits over five innings of work.
