FROM OK STATE PRESS RELEASE
STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State opened its 2008 season with a 6-1 win over Gonzaga Friday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
The win was OSU’s fourth-straight season opening triumph and also marked the fourth consecutive year the Cowboys have won their home opener.
Matt Hague, a transfer from Washington, led the Cowboys offensively as the senior third baseman was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his OSU debut. Jordy Mercer also collected a pair of RBIs for the Pokes.
Andrew Oliver earned the win on the mound, allowing just two hits in 5.2 innings of work. The sophomore southpaw struck out six and allowed just one run.
The Cowboys’ big inning came in the fifth as they rallied for three runs on three hits. The big blow in the inning came on a two-RBI double to center field off the bat of Hague, and Mercer also plated a run with an RBI groundout that gave OSU a 5-1 advantage.
OSU got on the scoreboard in its first at bat. Michael Dabbs drew a one out walk, and after Hague singled and Rebel Ridling reached on an error to load the bases, Mercer delivered a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 1-0.
Gonzaga tied the score at 1-1 in the third on a sacrifice fly by Jason Chatwood, but the Cowboys took the lead for good in the fourth on Donnie Webb’s RBI single.
Senior Robbie Weinhardt pitched two strong innings in relief for the Cowboys, striking out five and allowing just one hit, while Mercer recorded two strikeouts with two runners on in the ninth to preserve the win.
The Cowboys will host Gonzaga in a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. before closing out the series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday.
