Oklahoma falls to Nebraska-Omaha in opener
Breydan Daniel (40) and Justin Mitchell
Pool photo / Ty Russell
NORMAN - Oklahoma dropped its season opener 6-3 to Nebraska Omaha Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
OU scored all three of its runs in the sixth inning, but four errors led to three unearned runs for the visitors. Omaha scored two runs in the third, seventh and ninth innings.
“Really uncharacteristic of us making four errors like that, and that’s just going to happen,” coach Skip Johnson said. “And kids are going to make physical mistakes, and you’ve just got to learn from them.”
Oklahoma starter Wyatt Olds went 4.0 innings and allowed one earned run and one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks. Olds (0-1) struck out four batters over 2.2 relief innings and allowed two runs in the loss. UNO's Josiah Scott (1-0) allowed one walk and no hits in one inning of relief to earn the win.
The Sooners knocked three straight singles to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Left fielder Breydon Daniel led off with a walk and scored on a base hit by pinch hitter Diego Muniz. Second baseman Conor McKenna followed with a drive down the right field line that scored third baseman Peyton Graham, tying the game at 2-2. Catcher Justin Mitchell put OU in front with a base hit to right field that plated Muniz.
Conor McKenna
Pool photo / Ty Russell
The Mavericks went ahead 2-0 in the third inning when a leadoff single and two errors led to two RBI groundouts. In the seventh, a throwing error and an RBI triple by center fielder Garrett Kennedy gave UNO the lead again at 4-3. A walk, a fielding error and two wild pitches allowed two more runs in the ninth to make the score 6-3.
OU threatened in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Sooners put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth after Graham (2 for 4 with two singles) hit a leadoff single and pinch hitter Jimmy Crooks drew a walk. Shortstop Brandon Zaragoza (hit-by-pitch) and center fielder Tanner Tredaway (walk) reached to start the ninth, but a double play and a strikeout ended the game.
“I think we’re an offensive team,” Johnson said. “We got some guys in there, and there will be some different guys in there tomorrow. Just trying to give these guys an opportunity to play and kind of figure out a lineup as we go forward, I think that’s gonna be the biggest deal.”