Oklahoma hammers Missouri
The Oklahoma baseball team rebounded in a big way late Saturday night, scoring 10 runs in its final three at bats to defeat Missouri 16-6 in the Frisco Classic at Dr. Pepper Ballpark.
The Sooners (5-5) delivered a big blow with six runs in the sixth inning to break a 6-6 tie, then added a run in the seventh and three in the eighth. Meanwhile, Carson Carter (1-0) pitched five scoreless relief innings, allowing only two hits and no walks. The Tigers (3-8) scored all six of their runs in the first three innings.
OU’s three outfielders combined to go 8-of-11 at the plate with five extra base hits, nine RBIs and seven runs scored. Center fielder Tanner Tredaway and right fielder Brett Squires both finished with four RBIs and left fielder Kendall Pettis went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three runs scored. Squires had two hits – a two-run double and a two-run triple – and Tredaway tallied three hits, including a double.
First baseman Tyler Hardman went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored and shortstop Brandon Zaragoza drove in three runs. Oklahoma’s 16 runs and 17 hits were season highs in both categories.
“We really pulled together and overcame some really big obstacles,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. “I thought they did a great job of separating balls and strikes, and squared up some balls with men in scoring position, which was huge. Carson got in there and calmed everything down. He was throwing strike one and kept them off balance. They’re a really good hitting team, and he made some quality pitches. When we could separate the game offensively, we did. We just kept that momentum going and sustained it.”
Oklahoma plated its first six runs on two-run doubles, and the game turned in OU’s favor during a four-run third inning. Zaragoza pulled a pitch down the line into the left field corner to score Pettis and Squires to cut Missouri’s lead to 4-2 in the second inning. In the third, Tredaway drove a bases-loaded double to left center and Squires followed with his own two-run double to the same area, tying the game 6-all.
Reliever Ben Abram, who entered in the first and pitched 3 2/3 innings, shut down Missouri in the top of the fourth, retiring the side in order. Carter entered to start the fifth inning and took it the rest of the way.
The Sooners scored six runs in the sixth inning to blow open a 12-6 lead. McKenna and Tredaway each singled in a run and Squires followed with a two-run stand-up triple into the right field corner. Pettis then scorched a double past the third baseman and Zaragoza brought him home with a sacrifice fly. OU tacked on another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Tredaway and three more runs in the eighth on a fielder’s choice RBI by Graham and a two-run single by Hardman, to reach the 16-6 result.
Missouri scored three runs in the first inning on two walks and a wild pitch. A base hit by shortstop Josh Day in the second inning made the score 4-0, and a sacrifice fly and wild pitch in the third inning scored two runs to make it 6-2. Spencer Juergens (1-1) took the loss for the Tigers.
Oklahoma concludes the Frisco Classic against Dallas Baptist on Sunday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.