Big 12 Baseball Championship, Game 5: Oklahoma 8, Texas Tech 0

We now effectively have one half of a semifinal set, as Oklahoma improved to 2-0 by pounding Texas Tech into submission. Should K-State handle Baylor in the third session's second game, they'll play for a spot in Sunday's final.

This morning's contest was a pitcher's duel through seven innings. Through the first three, each team did have one inning where they managed to get a couple of guys on, but no damage accrued. In the top of the fourth, the Sooners did manage to string together a single by Hector Lorenzana, a walk to Anthony Hermelyn, and a single from Colt Bickerstaff which plated Lorenzana with the go-ahead run.

Things remained relatively quiet until the top of the eighth, when the Sooners finally chased Dominic Moreno after Max White led off with a single. Dalton Brown came on to face Matt Oberste, who reached on an error, and Justin Bethard immediately replaced Brown. Lorenzano then struck again, lacing a single to right which sort of died when it hit the outfield grass; White scored easily. Oberste scored on a lineout to right by Hermelyn, and the Sooners had picked up two important insurance policies.

Then came the ninth, and the Sooners just blew up all over Tech, plating five runs to bury the Red Raiders. Tech bowed out meekly in the bottom of the ninth, and the game was in the books.

OU gets K-State tomorrow for the Pool One title at 12:30pm CT. Tech plays Baylor for pride (unless Baylor wins today, in which case it's got an effect on the pool) at 9am tomorrow.