Wire Report
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The 22nd-ranked Texas A&M baseball team stopped its late-season slide -- barely -- with a wild 17-15 victory over the 11th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Friday night at the Big 12 tournament before 7,416.
A&M (35-22) will conclude pool play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Texas Tech, a 4-2 winner over Missouri on Friday. Oklahoma will play Missouri at 4 p.m.
The wins by A&M and Tech on Friday left all four teams at 1-1 in pool play. Saturday's winner who beat the other team will advance to Sunday's championship game. For that to be the Aggies they need to beat Tech and have OU beat MU.
It will be hard for any of Saturday's final pool games to match what A&M and OU did for 4 hours Friday.
The Aggies wiped out a six-run deficit to take a 17-10 lead into the ninth, but with runners on the corners needed a double play grounder off the bat of Matt Harughty to end it.
The Sooners scored two runs in the ninth without a hit. Chris Ellison's bases-clearing double made it 17-15. Jamie Johnson followed with a single, then Nick Fleece fell behind Harughty 2-0 and was lifted for Travis Starling, who induced a grounder to third baseman Caleb Shofner on a 3-1 pitch for his fourth save.
The Sooners (41-17) seemed to be headed toward the title game after scoring six runs in the first inning against A&M starter Brooks Raley.
But the Aggies, who had lost five of their last six Big 12 games, answered with five runs in the bottom of the first. Brett Parsons had a pinch-hit, two-run double as the Aggies trimmed the deficit to one.
A&M kept scoring, adding runs in every inning but the fourth. The Aggies took the lead with a four-run sixth.
A&M had 19 hits, led by Parsons' 3-for-5, five-RBI night. Kyle Colligan was 3 for 4, and Joe Patterson added four hits and four RBIs.
Raley, Luke Anders, Kevin Gonzalez and Shofner each added two hits as every starter but shortstop Adam Smith had a hit. A&M didn't hit a home run but had nine extra-base hits, including a pair of doubles each by Parsons and Raley.
Oklahoma starter Michael Rocha, who pitched six shutout innings last weekend in Norman when the Sooners swept the Aggies, didn't make it out of the first inning Friday. He gave up only one hit but walked three.
All six OU pitchers gave up at least two runs each. Jeremy Erben (0-1) took the loss.
Oklahoma, which had a 10-7 lead after four innings, didn't score in the next four innings against winning pitcher Alex Wilson (6-6), Estevan Uriegas and Nick Fleece.
J.T. Wise was 3 for 4 for OU with four RBIs. Trey Sperring, who played for the Brazos Valley Bombers, hit a two-run homer in the first.
BIG 12 BASEBALL
* Friday's games: Texas A&M 17, Oklahoma 15; Texas Tech 4, Missouri 2
* Saturday's games: Kansas (0-2) vs. Baylor (1-1), 9 a.m.; Texas (1-1) vs. Kansas St. (2-0), 12:30 p.m.; Oklahoma (1-1) vs. Missouri (1-1), 4 p.m.; Texas A&M (1-1) vs. Texas Tech (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
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Posted by: someone On: 6/2/2009
Comment Title: RE- anyone
Its June 2nd...."the repetition of some posters" should have sunk in with you by now. If not, your attention is directed to the first post again.
Posted by: Hook'em Ags On: 5/26/2009
Comment Title: Congrats Ags for at large bid
Good luck in NCAA. There is alot of negativities in these blogs. I thought UT is too harsh when it comes to doggin' out their players when they mess up. Take it easy guys. Hate ur rival not ur players. Heck hate ur coaches for they are to blame. I have seen blogs from the other conferences, this is a bit too discouraging. But kudos for the hard core Ags. Good Luck guys & represent big12...they are all hating us for having 8 teams...lol.. Big12 rules...Texas Fight!
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/24/2009
Comment Title: A GOOD COACH MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE?
My personal opinions:_____In his first two full seasons of recruiting, Mike Sherman committed "8" four star difference makers?_____In his first two full seasons of recruiting, Nick Saban committed "40" four and five star difference makers?_____miller58
Posted by: Pablo On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: #1's have come and gone
If you follow NCAA Baseball you will know that the #1 has changed a few times over the course of the season. I think the Anteaters have held it the longest, but I agree the Aggies could have played better down the stretch, but in no way are they carrying anyone's jock! What a asinine comment..
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: THE GOOD OL' BOYS SHOULD KNOW THAT FOUR STAR SAFETY AMAHD DIXON 6-1 194 4.5 TURNED DOWN SHERMAN'S OFFER TO COMMIT TO baylor?
My personal opinions:_____Keeping our third signing class record of committing absolutely no defensive players with 4 star speed, athleticism, and size, 4* Ahmad Dixon turned down Mike Shermans offer, after decommitting from tu, as well as offers from ou, nebraska, tcu, tech, florida and 'bama amomg others!_____With multiple offers already out for his fourth signing class, Sherman is really building a bare cupboard squad of mostly low ranked leftovers, that will have the next coach losing future games?_____miller58
Posted by: On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title:
Not true Pablo. I've seen the last 10 games. Now you need to see the first post under this article which sums up the entire season. Remember, this team was ranked number one in the nation to begin the year. This is why the nation does not respect us which gets us back to the "carry jock" statement.
Posted by: Pablo On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: carrying jock comment...
If that really is you Miller, you sound bitter that my Aggies just whipped the tar outta OU and are looking to do the same to Tech. The "carry jock" comment is meant to insult an unworthy opponent. A&M is quite a worthy opponent, but unless you can actually pull yourself from the links to see a game, you wouldn't know.
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: RE: anyone
My personal opinions:_____Are some of our good ol' boys getting touchee' because our baseball and football coaches can't carry the jock of the tu and ou coaches; and same with our basketball coach and the kansas coach, huh ??????????_____miller58
Posted by: someone On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: re- anyone
Can anyone tell us where we can find a copy of the posting rules and regulations or are these just isuued by the self appointed blog police.
Posted by: anyone On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: This is about baseball!
The repetition of some posters is just sick! If you must post this crap, please keep it on the football articles.....not needed or wanted here.....Aggies won last night in a wild one, they deserve credit for that!
Posted by: miller58 On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title: IS THE SHERMAN OR TURGEON STRAIN OF LOSING1RECRUITING1 FLU VIRUS CONTAGIOUS TO CHILDRESS?
My personal opinions:_____Mike Sherman lost his 10th offer in April-May when four star safety Ahmad Dixon 6-1 194 4.5 committed to baylor!_____6 of Sherman's 10 losses have been to Big 12 South opponents._____Dixon decommitted from tu, and turned down offers from A&M, 'bama, florida, ou, okie lite, among others to accept the baylor offer!_____It's losses like these 10, that will keep us in last place for the next five+ years?_____ miller58
Posted by: On: 5/23/2009
Comment Title:
Prolonged periods of underachievement interrupted by brief moments of accomplishment.