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Oklahoma City, OK -- The record-breaking 2004 baseball season came to an end for Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon in Oklahoma City with a 6-1 loss to the University of Oklahoma in the first NCAA regional elimination game. The Blue Devils end the season with a school record 41-17-1 record, and in the process, established school records for wins, hits, runs scored and RBI. CCSU earned the trip to the NCAA Tournament by winning its third straight Northeast Conference Tournament two weeks ago.
Freshman Mark Peterson (6-2) pitched seven innings for the Blue Devils allowing five runs on 121 pitches including 70 for strikes. He allowed just six hits on the afternoon and struck out five and walked four in suffering just his second loss in his first season with the Blue Devils. He allowed five runs, four earned, in his first appearance in the NCAA Tournament and his school-record 24th appearance of the season.
In the bottom of the first inning, the first two Blue Devils reached base as Keith Stegbauer reached on a bunt single while Rob Hosgood walked to leadoff the inning. Oklahoma starting pitcher David Purcey responded by striking out the side. Tim D'Aquila, Phil Ruthkugel and Tom Pezzello all struck out swinging to end the threat in the first.
Stegbauer's single was his 100th hit of the season making him the first player in school and conference history ever to record 100 hits in a single season.
Oklahoma got on the board first when seldom-used outfielder LaFringe Hayes doubled to left center field with one out off of Peterson and drove in Jeff Scuderi who led off the inning with a single. Peterson got the next batter on a ground out and then struck out clean-up hitter Eric Thornton looking to end the inning with OU leading 1-0.
The Blue Devils tied the game at one in the bottom of the third when senior Tim D'Aquila drove in his 55th run of the season scoring freshman Sean Salvatore who had walked to lead off the inning. The single put runners at first and second and Hosgood then stole third base to make it first and third with one out. Purcey then picked off D'Aquila at first base and struck out Rothkugel to end the inning tied at one.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Sooners took a 2-1 lead with an unearned run off of Peterson. With a runner on first with two outs, Josh Stinson doubled down the right field line. Ryan Rohlinger advanced to third on the hit and then scored when Hosgood's throw from right field skipped by Rothkugel at first base.
The Sooners manufactured a third run in the top of the sixth inning when Matt Bose walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a pass ball. Bose was sacrificed to third base followed by a successful squeeze bunt from Rohlinger, giving the Sooners the 3-1 lead.
In the top of the eighth, the Sooners took a 4-1 lead when Thornton led off the inning with a home run to right field and then added another run on an RBI groundout by Rohlinger off of reliever Evan Scribner. A sacrifice fly from Stinson made the lead 6-1.
Oklahoma advances to face the loser of the Regional's next game featuring Florida and UCLA in the day's second elimination game. Both teams won their first round games on Friday.
The Automated ScoreBook
Oklahoma vs Central Connecticut
04/05/04 at Oklahoma City, OK (Brickyard Ballpark)
Oklahoma 6 (38-23)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Raley, Russell 2b........ 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0
Hayes, LaFringe lf....... 4 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0
Hurlbutt, Blake lf...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Sheldon, Ole 1b.......... 4 0 1 0 1 1 12 1 1
Thornton, Eric dh........ 5 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 4
Bose, Matt 3b............ 1 2 0 0 3 0 0 1 0
McGuire, Andrew rf....... 3 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0
Rohlinger, Ryan ss....... 3 1 0 2 0 0 2 3 0
Stinson, Josh c.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 9 0 1
Scuderi, Jeff cf......... 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1
Purcey, David p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Totals................... 32 6 8 5 4 5 27 15 7
Central Connecticut 1 (41-17-1)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Stegbauer, Keith ss...... 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2
Hosgood, Rob rf.......... 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0
D'Aquila, Tim c.......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 5 1 0
Rothkugel, Phil 1b....... 3 0 0 0 0 3 10 0 1
Pezzello, Tom lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 3
Riggleman, Jon ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Memoli, Matt 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0
Currier, Brent ph....... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Muldoon, Brad cf......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 0
Blaze, John dh........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Salvatore, Sean 2b....... 1 1 1 0 2 0 2 3 0
Peterson, Mark p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Scribner, Evan p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 30 1 5 1 3 9 27 9 6
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Oklahoma............ 001 101 030 - 6 8 0
Central Connecticut. 001 000 000 - 1 5 1
-------------------------------------------
E - Hosgood. DP - OKLAHOMA 1. LOB - OKLAHOMA 7; CCSU 6. 2B - Hayes, L.;
Stinson, J.. HR - Thornton, E.. HBP - Scuderi, J.; Rothkugel. SH - McGuire,
A.; Rohlinger, R. SF - Stinson, J.. SB - Bose, M.; McGuire, A.; Stegbauer;
Hosgood. CS - D'Aquila.
Oklahoma IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Purcey, David....... 9.0 5 1 1 3 9 30 34
Central Connecticut IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Peterson, Mark...... 7.0 6 5 4 4 5 25 32
Scribner, Evan...... 2.0 2 1 1 0 0 7 8
Win - Purcey, D. (9-5). Loss - Peterson (6-2). Save - None.
WP - Peterson 2; Scribner. HBP - by Purcey, D. (Rothkugel); by Peterson
(Scuderi, J.).
Umpires - HP: Scott Erby 1B: Kevin Gilmore 2B: Don Novak 3B: Paul Guillie
Start: 11:01 am Time: 2:39 Attendance: 2236
Peterson faced 2 batters in the 8th.
Game: GAME59
Play-by-Play The Automated ScoreBook
Oklahoma vs Central Connecticut - Play-by-Play
04/05/04 at Oklahoma City, OK (Brickyard Ballpark)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Oklahoma............ 001 101 030 - 6 8 0
Central Connecticut. 001 000 000 - 1 5 1
-------------------------------------------
Oklahoma starters: 15/2b Raley, R.; 31/lf Hayes, L.; 23/1b Sheldon, O.; 6/dh
Thornton, E.; 3/3b Bose, M.; 19/rf McGuire, A.; 7/ss Rohlinger, R; 14/c Stinson, J.;
32/cf Scuderi, J.; 17/p Purcey, D.;
Central Connecticut starters: 11/ss Stegbauer; 24/rf Hosgood; 25/c D'Aquila; 42/1b
Rothkugel; 6/lf Pezzello; 3/3b Memoli; 10/cf Muldoon; 20/dh Blaze; 4/2b Salvatore;
21/p Peterson;
Oklahoma 1st - Raley, R. flied out to rf. Hayes, L. grounded out to 2b.
Sheldon, O. walked. Thornton, E. flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Central Connecticut 1st - Stegbauer singled, bunt. Stegbauer stole second.
Hosgood walked. D'Aquila struck out swinging. Rothkugel struck out swinging.
Pezzello struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Oklahoma 2nd - Bose, M. grounded out to 1b unassisted. McGuire, A. singled to
center field. Rohlinger, R flied out to cf. Stinson, J. flied out to cf. 0 runs,
1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 2nd - Memoli flied out to cf. Muldoon grounded out to 2b.
Blaze struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oklahoma 3rd - Scuderi, J. singled to right field. Raley, R. grounded out to
1b unassisted; Scuderi, J. advanced to second. Hayes, L. doubled to left center,
RBI; Scuderi, J. scored. Sheldon, O. grounded out to 2b; Hayes, L. advanced to
third. Thornton, E. struck out looking. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 3rd - Salvatore walked. Stegbauer grounded out to p;
Salvatore advanced to second. Hosgood singled through the right side; Salvatore
advanced to third. D'Aquila singled up the middle, RBI; Hosgood advanced to second;
Salvatore scored. Hosgood stole third. D'Aquila out at second p to 1b to ss, caught
stealing. Rothkugel struck out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Oklahoma 4th - Bose, M. walked. McGuire, A. struck out swinging; Bose, M.
stole second. Rohlinger, R reached on a fielder's choice; Bose, M. out at third ss
to 3b. Stinson, J. doubled to right field; Rohlinger, R advanced to third, scored on
a throwing error by rf, unearned. Scuderi, J. popped up to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 1
error, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 4th - Pezzello flied out to rf. Memoli grounded out to
2b. Muldoon struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oklahoma 5th - Raley, R. popped up to 2b. Hayes, L. singled up the middle.
Hayes, L. advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sheldon, O. struck out swinging.
Thornton, E. struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 5th - Blaze grounded out to ss. Salvatore walked.
Stegbauer grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Salvatore out on the play. 0
runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oklahoma 6th - Bose, M. walked. Bose, M. advanced to second on a wild pitch.
McGuire, A. grounded out to p, SAC; Bose, M. advanced to third. Rohlinger, R
grounded out to p unassisted, SAC, bunt, RBI; Bose, M. scored. Stinson, J. grounded
out to 2b. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Central Connecticut 6th - Hosgood grounded out to 2b. D'Aquila grounded out
to 2b. Rothkugel hit by pitch. Pezzello grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Oklahoma 7th - Scuderi, J. hit by pitch. Raley, R. grounded out to c;
Scuderi, J. advanced to second. Hayes, L. struck out swinging. Sheldon, O. flied out
to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 7th - Memoli grounded out to 2b. Muldoon grounded out to
p. Blaze singled up the middle. Hurlbutt, B. to lf for Hayes, L.. Salvatore singled
up the middle; Blaze advanced to second. Stegbauer grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 2
hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Oklahoma 8th - Thornton, E. homered to right field, RBI. Bose, M. walked.
Scribner to p for Peterson. Bose, M. advanced to second on a wild pitch. McGuire, A.
singled, bunt; Bose, M. advanced to third. McGuire, A. stole second. Rohlinger, R
grounded out to 3b, RBI; McGuire, A. advanced to third; Bose, M. scored. Stinson, J.
flied out to cf, SF, RBI; McGuire, A. scored. Scuderi, J. grounded out to 3b. 3
runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Central Connecticut 8th - Hosgood flied out to lf. D'Aquila lined out to 2b.
Rothkugel struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Oklahoma 9th - Raley, R. flied out to lf. Hurlbutt, B. grounded out to 3b.
Sheldon, O. singled to center field. Thornton, E. flied out to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
Central Connecticut 9th - Riggleman pinch hit for Pezzello. Currier pinch hit
for Memoli. Riggleman grounded out to 2b. Currier struck out swinging. Muldoon
struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.