Oklahoma routs Texas-Arlington
ARLINGTON, TX — With his high school not 10 miles away, just an easy 15-minute drive down Collins Street, Jimmy Crooks obviously feels right at home.
Crooks, a redshirt freshman from nearby Euless, homered at Globe Life Field for the second night in a row to lead No. 25 Oklahoma to a 7-1 victory Wednesday over Texas-Arlington.
Jimmy Crooks
Joshua R. Gateley / OU Athletics
Crooks mashed a three-run shot in Tuesday’s loss to Stephen F. Austin, and he hit a first-pitch shot to right field to lead off Wednesday’s eighth inning as the Sooners routed the Mavericks to improve to 2-2 on the season.
Left hander Braden Carmichael started on the mound for OU, walking three and scattering three hits over four shutout innings, but struck out five to keep UTA’s bats in check.
Ben Abram and Carson Carter combined to give up just one run on three hits over the next four innings. Closer Jason Ruffcorn pitched a scoreless ninth.
Peyton Graham went 3-for-4, Logan Kohler drove in two runs, and Crooks homered and singled as OU .
Crooks attended Euless Trinity High School, just seven miles north of the Texas Rangers’ new ballpark, before playing last year at McLennan College in Waco.
OU is in the middle of a stretch of nine straight games in Texas professional ballparks. After playing Tuesday and Wednesday at Globe Life Field, the Sooners play three this weekend in the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond (Triple-A Round Rock Express) against Auburn, Texas A&M and Baylor, then four next week in the Frisco Classic at Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco (Double-A Frisco RoughRiders) against Arizona (twice), Missouri and Dallas Baptist).