Medchill Delivers OSU Into Regional Finals

Oklahoma State has struggled to get the timely hits throughout the 2009 season, and only managed five hits in Saturday night's winner's bracket game in the Clemson Regional. But OSU junior Neil Medchill delivered a two-out single to score Michael Dabbs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the No. 1 seed and hometown Clemson Tigers, 3-2, to advance to Sunday night's regional title game.

Medchill had two of the Cowboys' five hits on Saturday night, but none was bigger than his two-out single against Clemson reliever Matt Vaughan in the bottom of the eighth. Dabbs had doubled with one out but was in jeopardy of being stranded after Tyrone Hambly grounded out to shortstop. Medchill then slapped a one-strike pitch from Vaughn through the right side of the infield allowing Dabbs to score the game-winning run.

OSU freshman Randy McCurry retired Clemson in order in the top of the ninth to secure the save, his record-setting 11th of the season.

The Cowboys, now 34-22, advance to the regional championship game at 6 p.m. Sunday (Central Daylight Time) against the winner of the Clemson-Tennessee Tech game to be played earlier Sunday. If OSU loses Sunday's game, the if necessary game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday.

Oklahoma State junior left-hander Andy Oliver came through with his best game of the season, shutting out the Tigers for seven innings before leaving the game after allowing eight hits and two earned runs while striking out six and allowing one walk in 7 1/3 innings of work.

But the Cowboys needed Oliver’s standout performance as Clemson starter Casey Haman was just as dominant through six innings. Oklahoma State got on the scoreboard when shortstop Tom Belza drilled a 1-2 pitch from Haman down the rightfield line for a solo home run. It was the fourth homer in two days for Belza, who had hit two homers in 54 games before regional play began. The Cowboy shortstop hit three homers in Friday’s first-round win over Alabama.

OSU freshman Mark Ginther is another unlikely power source for the Cowboys with only two homers this season. But he followed Belza’s roundtripper with a blast to left-center that gave the Cowboys a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers finally got to Oliver in the eighth inning, scoring two runs on four singles before McCurry came on to strike out Jeff Schaus and get Kyle Parker to pop up to second base with runners on second and third.

That left the door open for Medchill to come through in the clutch, delivering the game-winning single to score Dabbs.