University of Missouri
Oklahoma State
Missouri Falls Just Short of Big 12 Championship
5/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 30, 2004
ARLINGTON, Texas-- - In the longest Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship game, Oklahoma State defeated Missouri 10-9 in 13 innings to take home the title. The Cowboys had to come back from a seven-run deficit to tie the game and send it to extra innings, where they would eventually take the win.
Missouri held a 9-2 lead heading into the eighth inning, but Oklahoma State put together an impressive comeback, scoring five runs in the eighth inning to cut the Tiger lead to two. Josh Field cut the lead to one with a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth inning. Later in the inning, after the Cowboys loaded the bases, the tying run would score on a passed ball.
Keanon Simon then drove in Jason Jaramillo with a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run. The Cowboys retired MU in the bottom of the inning to conclude the win.
For the first time in this tournament, Missouri did not score the first run in its game, as Oklahoma State put two runs on the board in the top half of the first inning. The Cowboys got three hits in the inning, including back-to-back RBI-singles by Jason Jaramillo and Scott Kirby.
The OSU lead did not last long, as the Tiger put up three runs in its first at-bat to take the lead. With one out and the bases loaded, sophomore James Boone singled to drive in two runners and tie the game. Then, as senior Brad Flanders flew out to left, the Cowboy left fielder, Scott Kirby, had the ball slip out of his hand as he tried to throw the ball back in. The error allowed senior Cody Ehlers to score from second base, giving MU the 3-2 lead after one inning.
The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning on another strange play. Boone hit what would have been his first career grand slam. However, as he was rounding first base, he nearly passed Ehlers, who was the runner on first. MU first base coach, Tony Vitello, attempted to grab Boone to prevent him from passing Ehlers. Boone was credited with a single and called out due to interference. He was awarded three RBI, giving Missouri the 6-2 lead.
Sophomore Trevor Helms added to the Mizzou lead by hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, his second homer of the year.
OSU then scored seven unanswered runs to tie the game and set up the extra-inning heroics.
Ehlers was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Boone, Laskowski, Broshuis and Alexander.
The Tigers now await the selections for the NCAA Tournament to see if they will be selected for NCAA Regionals for the second consecutive season. The selection show will air on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. on Monday.
