#1 OCU SWEEPS TEXAS WESLEYAN
February 26, 2006

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK:  The Texas Wesleyan University baseball team took its 4-0 start of the season to Oklahoma City this weekend for a three-game set with defending national champion and top-ranked Oklahoma City University.  Although the Rams made them work for all three games, the Stars took a three game sweep by winning Saturday’s doubleheader 2-1 and 5-1 before taking a 9-8 win in Sunday’s finale.

In game one, the Rams took a 1-0 lead when Travis Clifford led off the second inning with a single to center, and later scored on a double from Antoine Cole.

That was nearly enough for Shea Harrison who allowed just one unearned run on five hits and a walk while striking out six in seven innings of work.  However, the Stars tied the contest with an unearned tally in the bottom of the sixth.

In the bottom of the ninth inning of the contest originally scheduled for seven innings, the Stars loaded the bases with one out on back-to-back doubles and an intentional walk.  Weston Wood then induced a ground ball to third and the Rams got out number two on a play at the plate.  However, a single from the next batter ended the game.

Wood took the loss after allowing 1 run on 4 hits in 1.2 innings of work.  Clifford led the Rams at the plate by going 2-for-4 with a run scored.

In game two, the Rams managed just two hits off of Stars starter McLaughlin (3-1).  Meanwhile, OCU plated five runs on five hits in the first inning.

Wood fell to 0-2 on the season after suffering his second loss of the season.  Travis Clifford knocked in the Rams’ only run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

In Sunday’s finale, there would be no pitching duel.  The Rams found themselves in a 4-2 hole after the first inning.  Josh Vander Hey’s two run homer in the top of the frame put the Rams up 2-0, but the Stars plated four runs on four hits and an error in their half of the inning.

Texas Wesleyan cut it to 4-3 in the fifth when Travis Clifford singled home Jason Diaz, and tied the game in the seventh when Clifford came through again with an RBI single.

In the bottom of the seventh, OCU plated five runs on four hits and an error to bring the score to 9-4.  The Rams plated three runs on two hits and two OCU errors in the eighth to get back into the contest.

In the ninth, Brandon Frazier started a two out rally with a walk.  He advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored when Billie Hicks ripped his second RBI single of the day.  However the Rams left the bases loaded and fell 9-8.

Jason Hopson (1-1) took the loss after allowing 9 runs on 9 hits in 6.1 innings of work.  Clifford, Vander Hey and Hicks each recorded 2 RBI while Clifford and Diaz each recorded 4 hits.