Oct. 14, 2008

Box Score: White 13, Red 0 (PDF)   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E  Red 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 4 1 White 3 0 3 0 5 2 X - - 13 14 1  Pitching IP H R ER BB SO  W - Rocha (1-0) 5.0 3 0 0 1 2  L - Doyle (0-1) 3.0 8 6 4 4 1  S - none - - - - - -  Batting Leaders AB R H RBI BB HR  Red- Buechele 5 2 2 5 0 1  White - C. Johnson 2 0 1 0 1 0   Sooner Baseball Central Main Page | Ticket Information 2008 OU Baseball Media Guide Oklahoma Season Statistics | Big 12 Conference | NCAA

NORMAN, Okla. -- The White team wasted no time during game two of the annual Red/White Series on Tuesday to even the series at one game apiece.  Led by five RBIs from redshirt freshman Garrett Buechele, the white team pounded 14 hits en route to a 13-0 victory behind sophomore Michael Rocha’s five scoreless innings. 

The White team scored six runs in the first three innings and finished the game with some clutch hitting that featured six hits and eight RBIs with two outs on the board.  Buechele’s grand slam in the fifth capped off a five-run inning for the White team while juniors Aaron Baker and Bryan Groth and freshman Chris Ellison each drove in two runs each.

Offense was not the only key factor in Tuesday’s win, Rocha was solid on the mound for the White team as he earned the win with five scoreless innings.  Rocha allowed three hits and one walk and was relieved by junior Levi Rhoades and Ellison, who combined to help complete the shutout.

“After the solid pitching efforts on both sides on Monday, it was good to see some bats come alive today to compliment another strong outing from one of our starting pitchers,” said OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway.  “Michael received plenty of run support early and threw strong for five innings.  Michael showed flashes of his talent as a freshman and had a very productive summer in the Alaska League.  He is one of the many reasons that the coaches are excited about the options we have on the mound.  We expect good things from him in the spring.”

Throwing opposite Rocha was junior Andrew Doyle who took the loss after allowing four unearned runs in the three-inning start. 

Groth finished with a game-high three hits after driving in run off a double to the gap in right center in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Groth, who threw out three base runners in game one and added a double at the plate, has impressed the coaching staff this fall.

“Anyone that has been around our program for the last three years know that Bryan is solid defensively, but he has really stepped it up at the plate this fall,” said Golloway.  “He has already shown in the first two games what a valuable asset he can be to this team with a bat and behind the plate.”

The Red team won game one of the series on Monday, 3-1.

Game three is set for 2:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park on Thursday, Oct. 16 and will feature junior Jason Chowning (Red) starting opposite senior C.J. Blue (White) on the mound.
 
Game four is slated for 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon while the series finale will be played on Saturday at 10 a.m.  All of the seven-inning games are free and open to the public.