Bison Fall in 12th Inning
Article Date
May 11, 2005
A few missed opportunities have Oklahoma Baptist's 20th-ranked Bison baseball team facing a tall order to keep their season alive after a 6-4 12-inning loss to 11th-ranked Oklahoma City in Wednesday in the NAIA Region VI Tournament at Houston Baptist University.
The Bison left the bases loaded in the second and stranded in scoring position in the first, fourth and 10th innings, wasting a solid pitching effort by Sean Dryden and Chad Rhoades, who took the loss.
OBU jumped out on top 3-0 in the first inning, Kip Keith walked and took second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a single by Frankie Ibarra. Keith scored on a grounder to first by Danny Guidry, who reached base on an error.
Eric Curry came through with a two-out, two-RBI double for the 3-0 lead, but was left at second when Nick Bakich grounded out to third.
A solo home run by Matt Imwalle made it 3-1.
OBU had a great start to the second inning, but could only produce one run. Aaron Dickson singled, Keith walked and Ibarra singled to load the bases. Guidry drew an RBI walk for a 4-1 lead and OCU starter Mike Mlotkowski was lifted for Brian Mayfield.
With no outs and bases full, Mayfield fanned All-Conference picks Felix Peguero and Adam Dalby and did the same on three pitches to Rett Terrell.
The Stars tied the game with a three-run home run by Colby Overstreet in the third inning.
From there, Dryden, Mayfield and, beginning in the seventh, Chad Rhoads shut down both offenses until the decisive 12th inning.
The Bison missed a chance in the fourth when Keith singled and moved to second on a sacrifice, Mayfield whiffed Guidry and Peguero, leaving Keith at second.
OBU just missed winning in the 10th. Guidry walked to start the inning and stole second. With one out, Dalby was intentionally walked and Terrell ripped a ball just inches off the right field line foul that would have won the game. Terrell and Curry after him instead struck out in what turned out to be OBU's best chance.
The Stars started the 12th with three straight singles off Rhoades (4-3) with the third being an RBI single by Overstreet. Ryan Walker would add the second run on a well-executed suicide squeeze to score pinch runner Casey Neale.
Guidry led off the 12th for OBU with a single and moved to second when Terrell was hit by a pitch with two outs, but Adam Varterressian, who was stuck with an extra-inning loss against OBU last week, got the win by getting Curry on a fly ball to right field.
The Bison, now 45-21, will play host Houston Baptist at 12:30 p.m. The game is not an elimination contest for HBU, who beat Wayland Baptist 6-1 in the first round, but it is for the Bison.
The Huskies have a pair of unbeaten pitcher to choose from on Thursday with Aaron Garrison (12-0) and Wes Smiley (11-0) available.
OBU will throw Brent Terrell or Chris Ryan.