Ninth Inning Rally Spoils Kansas Senior Day
May 23, 2010
Box Score in PDF Format 
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Oklahoma catcher Tyler Ogle hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning as the 14th-ranked Sooners rallied for a third-straight day to sweep a three-game Big 12 series from Kansas, winning 9-6 Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.
The Jayhawks drop to 31-24-1 overall and 11-15-1 in Big 12 play, while Oklahoma improves to 42-14 overall and 15-10 in the conference. The two teams will meet again in the first round of the Big 12 Baseball Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Wednesday. Game time has yet to be determined.
Sunday’s loss mirrored the previous games in the series, with KU breaking out to a 5-2 lead after six innings, only to see it evaporate quickly.
In a tie game in the top of the ninth, Kansas relief pitcher Travis Blankenship retired the leadoff hitter, but surrendered back-to-back singles to Garrett Buchele and Cameron Seitzer. With one out, Ogle golfed a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence to give the Sooners the lead.
It marked the second time in less than 24 hours that the Oklahoma catcher spoiled things for Kansas in the ninth inning. In the Saturday game, Ogle collected a bases-clearing double with two outs in the ninth inning to plate the winning run.
Two innings earlier, Seitzer hit a three-run homer down the right field line to cap a four-run inning and give OU the lead at 6-5. Kansas fought back however, as Jimmy Waters led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and scored on an RBI single by Brett Lisher.
For the second time in the series, Oklahoma broke out to a quick lead. OU plated two runs in the top of the second inning on a single to left field by Max White. An error by Waters allowed a second run to score.
KU tied the game in the third on back-to-back RBI singles by Tony Thompson and Waters, and grabbed the lead in the fourth on a controversial play.
With Lisher and James Stanfield aboard with one out, shortstop Brandon Macias hit a ball over the fence down the left field line, which cleared the fence by less than a foot. Thinking he needed to tag up, Stanfield stayed at first base and was passed by the hitter Macias, who was ruled out and his home run turned into a two-run single.
KU added another run in the inning on an error off the bat of Waters.
The late-game heroics by OU spoiled an outstanding start by freshman Tanner Poppe. The 6-foot-5 righty scattered four hits and three runs over six innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Poppe departed after hitting the first two batters of the seventh, setting up Seitzer’s homer.
The Jayhawks honored the six-member senior class with a short ceremony before the game. Seniors Blankenship, Brett Bollman, Lisher, Thomas Marcin, Robby Price and Cameron Selik all played their final home game Sunday.
