Baseball falls to Oklahoma

Details: Created on Tuesday, 05 June 2012 22:14

Baseball’s Cinderella season ended Monday after two disappointing losses to No. 23 Oklahoma, 6-14 and 2-5. These losses took the Mountaineers out of the NCAA Tournament Charlottesville Regional, according to a news release on goasu.com.

In the first game, App jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning due to RBI hits from seniors Jeremy Dowdy and Daniel Kassouf.

Oklahoma was able to tie it up the next inning and then made the game unwinnable with four run innings in the sixth and seventh. The Mountaineers added three runs in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.

A season-high 14 runners were left on base in the bottom of the frame.

"We lacked a couple of big-time hits in key situations,” ASU shortstop Will Callaway said. “You don't always get the two-out hit you are looking for in every situation. Runners are going to be left on.”

App led again in the second game, after an RBI double by Kassouf.However, Oklahoma quickly took the lead after a three-run inning.

Kassouf supplied the only other offense in the game with a sacrifice fly in the sixth after a triple by Callaway.

But even after a disappointing end to the season, the Mountaineers still had many accomplishments.

Four Mountaineers were named to the Charlottesville Regional All-Tournament Team including first baseman Trey Holmes, outfielders Brandon Burris and Preston Troutman, and pitcher Ryan Arrowood.

The Apps were selected to finish sixth in the SoCon in the preseason media poll, but ended up winning the first SoCon championship since 1987. This season also marked the first time the team advanced to NCAA postseason play since 1986.

The team also set a school record of 41 wins.

Head Coach Chris Pollard said he was “extremely proud” of his team and the goals they had accomplished.

“They set a goal for themselves to win a conference championship and make an NCAA Regional,” Coach Pollard said. “We were picked to finish fifth or sixth in our league. Not many people, outside of our group of guys, gave us credit for being able to do what we have done.

That shows the heart and character of this group of guys to band together against the odds to accomplish what we have accomplished. It has been a tremendous year and I am very, very proud of them."

But Pollard said he didn’t want the season to be viewed as extraordinary.

"This is not something where all the stars lined up,” Pollard said. “This is something we have been working to get in a position where we can do this year-in and year-out...That is my expectation of the program. We fully expect to compete for a championship next year."