No. 13 Sooners Down Shockers, 8-1

April 22, 2009

No. 13 OU 8, Wichita State 1 | Box Score |

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
WSU	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	2
OU	0	4	0	0	1	2	1	0	X	8	9	1

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Hubbard (2-2)	3.0	1	0	0	0	3
L - Smith (0-2)	0.2	3	4	4	2	0
S - none	-	-	-	-	-	-

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU - C. Johnson	3	2	2	3	1	1
OU - Wise	4	1	2	1	0	0

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NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 13 Oklahoma baseball team (30-11) got back to its winning ways with an 8-1 victory over Wichita State on Wednesday in front of 1,913 fans at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

Casey Johnson paced the Sooners' offense with two hits, including a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning that gave OU a 4-0 lead. J.T. Wise also turned in a two-hit performance and drove in a run as OU outhit WSU, 9-4.

Antwonie Hubbard started the contest and was one of seven OU hurlers used on the day. Hubbard earned the win in the predetermined start with three innings of one-hit ball. Hubbard (2-2) faced the minimum amount of hitters in his three frames and did not walk a batter while striking out three Shockers.

“He threw really well," said OU Head Coach Sunny Golloway on Hubbard's outing. “His pitch count stayed low and he should be able to bounce back this weekend.”

The rest of the Sooners' staff had success on the evening as well, holding Wichita State (20-20) to one run off four hits. Wichita State sent four or more hitters to the plate in just three of the innings as Garrett Richards, Michael Rocha, Tyson Seng and Chase Anderson were all perfect throwing one inning each. Stephen Porlier (2/3 inning, two hits, one run) and Jeremy Erben (1 1/3 innings, one hit) also saw action on the bump.

In the two meetings this season against the Shockers, OU has turned in balanced performances, outscoring the opposition 23-1 and limiting WSU to seven hits overall.

“We've played well in these games,” added Golloway on OU's 11-1 midweek record in 2009. “Its given us confidence going in (to the weekend). We played well again tonight and we need to see if this can carry over.”

The Sooners' offense got back on track Wednesday night and built a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. OU manufactured the first run as Wise doubled down the left-field line to begin the frame and moved to second on Chris Ellison's sacrifice bunt. Wise came around to score on Tyler Ogle's double off the wall in left field. After Matt Harughty walked, Casey Johnson gave OU a 4-0 lead with his seventh home run of the season, a shot over the fence in right field.

Shockers' reliever Josh Smith (0-2) gave up the four runs after retiring just batters. Smith was the first of six relievers used by Wichita State after Cameron Maldonado's start lasted an inning.

After holding the Shockers scoreless for the first four innings, OU allowed its first urn in the top of the fifth but quickly countered in the bottom half of the frame as Wise connected for the RBI single.

In the sixth inning, Bryant Hernandez drew a one-out, bases-loaded walk and Garrett Buechele followed with a sacrifice fly to give OU a 7-1 lead.

Matt Harughty capped off the scoring with a RBI single to right in the seventh inning.

The Sooners return to action this weekend in a pivotal Big 12 series at No. 9 Baylor (25-13, 10-7). The series begins on Friday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's 1 p.m. game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest while the series concludes on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live on the Sooner Sports Network with Chuck Kelly calling the play-by-play on KOKC 1520 AM.

“It's a huge weekend,” added Golloway. “Every Big 12 weekend is huge and we understand that, but when you are coming off a weekend where you haven't played well or didn't have success, I think you put a little more emphasis on it.

“Going to Waco is not going to be an easy task. They are ranked in the top 10. It's going to be a great test for us.”