Porlier Pitches Oklahoma Past WIU - University of Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. -- Sophomore hurler Stephen Porlier made the most of his second start of the season in a 1-0 win over Western Illinois on Friday in OU's home opener in front of 702 fans. The win takes the Sooners' record to 3-4 on the season while the Leathernecks dropped to 6-3.

Porlier limited WIU to three hits in conditions that saw the wind gust between 20 and 30 mph at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The transfer from Tulane struck out seven batters and walked one throughout a season-high eight innings and 110 pitches to improve to 2-0. Freshman Aaron Baker provided the Sooners' only run off an RBI-double in the first inning and freshman Garrett Richards recorded his second save of the season.

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“Considering the windy conditions, that was one of the best pitching performances I have seen,” said OU head coach Sunny Golloway referring to Porlier's start. “Stephen has moved up the ladder quickly for us and has earned the right to be our Friday night guy. I also thought Garrett pitched well in the ninth today. He has come up big for us in his two save opportunities and that is impressive considering he is a true freshman.”

OU, who led the nation in defense last season and has struggled in 2007, also received a boost to the infield Friday when junior captain Aaron Reza, the Sooners' starting shortstop in 2006, and Vinny Biancamano, a junior college transfer, both returned to the OU lineup. Reza missed the first four weeks of the season after breaking his hand on Jan. 24 while Biancamano sat out the last four games with a twisted knee.

“I was proud of our defense today,” added Golloway. “It was nice to see Aaron Reza and Vinny Biancamano return to the left side of the infield and lead our defense.”

The Leathernecks' Quinn Leath was solid in his five innings pitched. Leath allowed five hits and two walks in his first loss of the year. With the exception of giving up back-to-back doubles in the first inning, Leath kept the Leathernecks in position to win their third consecutive game.

After Brandon Moss recorded the first of those two doubles in the first frame, Baker drove in his team-leading eighth RBI of the season on a double to the gap in left-center field. With the hit, Baker extended his team-best hitting streak to seven games and bumped his batting average to .400 on the year.

Junior catcher Jackson Williams led the team with two of the Sooners' eight base knocks in the game.

On the opposite side of the box score, the hits allowed by the OU pitching staff was the fewest since topping Texas A&M on April 8, 2006 in College Station. The game, 1-0 win for OU after limiting the Aggies to two hits, was also the last OU shut out and opponent, spanning 40 games. Today's blanking of Western Illinois was also the first time since 1994 that the Sooners shut out an opponent in a home opener. That squad topped Missouri Southern 14-0 en route to the program's second national title.

Game two on Saturday is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The first 500 fans will receive free OU baseball schedule magnets. Junior Ryan Mottern (0-2) will throw for the Sooners against WIU's Travis Tolsma (0-0, 3.75 ERA).

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