Box Score BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Oklahoma defeated CSU Bakersfield 6-4 in the first of a four-game series between the two clubs Thursday night at Hardt Field.
With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the second, the Sooners struck for two runs on Hunter Hailey's double down the right field line. CSUB led off the bottom of the second with three consecutive singles, but a base running mistake by Sergio Robles provided the first out for Oklahoma. Now with runners on second and third, Drew Seelman popped out to short. Keaton Hernandez pitched out of the inning when he got Jake Ortega to ground out to second.
Max Carter's one-out single in the bottom of the third drove in Dustin Frailey and David Metzgar to tie the score. Hailey walked with one out in the top of the fourth and stole both second and third before attempting to come home on a Renae Martinez safety squeeze. Carter fielded the ball at first and threw home where Ortega tagged Hailey out. CSUB starter Steven Gee hit Sooner leadoff hitter Jack Flansburg but left the game immediately after due to an apparent injury. Garrett Nimmo came on in relief to face Quin Walbergh.
Nimmo hit Walberg to load the bases. Sheldon Neuse, Oklahoma's leading hitter, walked on four pitches to return the lead to the Sooners. On Nimmo's first pitch, Steele Walter, the OU clean-up hitter, grounded out to third for the final out. Frailey's two-out single drove in Ryan Grotjohn to tie the game for the second time. Metzgar's third hit of the night, a single, loaded the bases with two outs for Carter. Carter couldn't take advantage, grounded into a fielder's choice for the third out.
Hailey doubled to lead off the Sooners' sixth. With one out, Flansburg singled to left, scoring Hailey. The relay got away from Ortega at the plate, allowing Flansburg to advance to second. Cade Harris singled up the middle to drive in Flansburg. Neuse struck out before Walker singled to short. CSUB got out of the inning when Wise grounded out to short.
Metzgar became the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the sixth when he came up with Frailey on second. OU pitcher Austin Hansen went down 3-0 in the count to Metzgar before coming up with two consecutive strikes. Metzgar fouled off a breaking ball before strikeout on a curve to conclude the frame.
The third Oklahoma pitcher of the game, JB Olson, retired the side in order in the seventh before giving up a leadoff single to Ryan Grotjohn in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Chance Gusbeth attempted a sacrifice bunt. Martinez, the OU catcher, field the ball, but his throw pulled Flansburg off the bag at first allowing Gusbeth to reach safely. Ortega's sac bunt was successful, advancing both runners 90 feet. Christian Deaton beat out an infield dribbler to third, allowing Grotjohn to score, getting Gusbeth to third. Frailey grounded out to second, but Deaton advanced to second as Gusbeth stayed at third. Olson struck Metzgar out again, this time on three consecutive pitches, leaving the score 5-4.
Alex Wise led off the top of the ninth with his first home run of the season for the final 6-4 score. Neuse came in from short and retired the Roadrunners in order for his second save of the year.
CSUB outhit the Sooners 14-8, but OU was able to work out eight walks against Roadrunner pitching. Metzgar ended the night one hit away from the cycle. The CSUB second baseman posted a single, double, and a triple in five at-bats. Grotjohn also charted three hits (3-for-4). Frailey and Jones each had two hits. Wise would lead the Sooners as he went 3-for-5. Haley would go 2-for-3.
“I'm disappointed that we lost, but we played a pretty good game,” said CSUB head coach Bob Macaluso. “We hit the ball really well. We can't walk that many guys, we have to make their guys put the ball in play.”
Oklahoma (8-9-1) and CSUB (5-11) resume the series Friday at 6 p.m. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com.
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