May 2, 2008

STILLWATER, Oklahoma - Utah Valley ran into one of the hottest teams in the country on Friday as No. 9 Oklahoma State won its 10th consecutive game, 13-1, in the opener of a four-game series in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Cowboys (33-11) put the outcome out of question early with five runs in the first, a single run in the third and four more in the fourth to jump out to a 10-0 lead.

With two men on and one out in the first, OSU first baseman Rebel Ridling made it 3-0 with a three-run home run over the wall in right, his 11th of the season. Neil Medchill followed Ridling with an infield single and scored when Luis Flores hit his first triple of the year. Dylan Brown capped the big first with an RBI single to score Flores.

The Wolverines (12-29-1) scored in the sixth after Jake Rickenbach doubled and moved to third on an error to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Cole Anderson flew out to deep right to score Rickenbach with the sacrifice fly.

Rickenbach and Ryan Jones had two hits each to lead UV while Scott Croshaw singled in the sixth to extend his hit streak to 13 games.

Flores finished the day 3-for-3 after also tripling in the fifth inning. Jordy Mercer had four hits to lead the Cowboys, who had eight of their nine starters drive in at least one run.

No. 9 Oklahoma State is the third highest ranked team that the Utah Valley has faced in five NCAA seasons. The Wolverines played No. 8 Arizona in 2005 and No. 6 Arizona State in 2007.

Andrew Oliver (5-2) got the win after giving up just one run on six hits over seven innings of work while Dan Christensen (1-6) took the loss for the Wolverines.

The series continues Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for noon MT.