University of Missouri
Oklahoma
Tigers Finish Fourth Despite 7-0 Loss in Series Finale
5/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Oklahoma left-hander Buddy Blair threw eight strong innings in the final regular-season contest on Sunday at Taylor Stadium, leading the Sooners to a 7-0 win.
Despite the shutout, the first against Missouri since March of last year, Missouri (34-18, 15-11 Big 12) still finished fourth in the Big 12 race after Baylor's 7-6 loss at Nebraska. That win gave the Huskers the outright Big 12 title by a game over both Texas A&M and Texas.
Oklahoma (22-29, 10-17) clinched one of the two final berths in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Oklahoma City, with the win. Its final seeding will be dependent on Kansas' game vs. Kansas State later this afternoon.
The Sooners were in control from the start, ensuring they would not be the first OU squad to be swept by Mizzou since 1981. Oklahoma began with a three-run second off Tiger sophomore righty Derek Roper (Elk City, Okla.), and added runs in the third and fifth. The final dagger came with a pair of runs off junior RHP Mark Alexander (Independence, Mo.) in the eighth.
Six different Sooners had at least two hits, including CF Reggie Willits, who was 3-for-5 with two stolen bases and a pair of runs scored.
Mizzou's five hits were spread among five different players, yet senior CF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) will have to wait until the Big 12 Tournament to try and break the school record he shares with Ryan Fry for most hits in a career (265).
"We had our opportunities early. The difference between the first two games and today is that we didn't get the clutch hits, and they did," Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. "Blair threw a good game, but we took a bunch of bad swings."
Missouri takes its No. 4 seed into the Big 12 Tournament - its first appearance since 2000 - to face No. 5 Baylor at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at SBC Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City. For ticket information, contact the Oklahoma City All-Sports Association at (405) 236-5000.
