Bison Run-Rule Northwestern 13-3

February 14, 2008

Bison Run-Rule Northwestern, 13-3

Adam Garner struck out 10 batters, Josh Collazo hit two home runs and OBU scored a 13-3 run-rule win the Sooner Athletic Conference opener with Northwestern Oklahoma State Thursday.

Garner went seven innings, allowing two unearned runs to go with 10 strikeouts and Northwestern scored an unearned run in the first on a hit batsman, a passed ball and a wild pitch for 1 -0 lead.

"(Garner) did a great job in a less-than-ideal situation with the wind blowing in his face," said OBU coach Bobby Cox. "He did a great job."

The Bison scored four times in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead.

Josh Collazo, the reigning Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week, ripped a solo home run to tie the game. Josh Kirkpatrick followed with a single before Frank Avilla lined a two-run home run just over the fence for a 3-1 Bison lead. Christian Ruiz reached on an error and stole second before scoring on a single by Kyle Cooper for the 4-1 advantage.

OBU made it a 6-1 game in the fifth on an RBI fielders choice by Chris Chambers and an RBI double to the wall by Collazo.

Cooper added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to put the Bison ahead 7-1.

"We've hit the ball well all year long," said Cox. "We've covered for our bad defense with our offense."

Northwestern added a second unearned run off of Garner in the top of the seventh.

OBU got that run back in the bottom of the seventh with a Christian Ruiz RBI single.

The Rangers got their lone earned run in the top of the eighth off Josh Palmer, thanks to a bad-hop single that kept the inning going with two outs.

The Bison ended the game in the bottom of the eighth on the 10-run rule with the help of back-to-back-to-back home runs. Collazo started things with a two-run home run, followed by a solo shot down the right field line by Kirkpatrick and another to right by Keith Johnson.

"The wind had died down by that time," Cox said. "Those three were legit. It was good to see."

Mason Reilly singled home Avilla with the game-ender with two outs.

Collazo had three hits and four RBI to lead the Bison's 15-hit attack, while Avilla had three hits and Reilly, Chambers and Kirkpatrick added two apiece.

Now 10-1 on the season and 1-0 in the SAC, the Bison are slated to play two games in Alva on Saturday, weather permitting.