Sooners Sweep Series With Eighth Straight Win

April 22, 2012

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Alabama State	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
Oklahoma	0	2	1	0	0	0	4	0	X	7	9	1

Box Score (PDF)

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W-Krittenbrink (1-0)	7.2	3	0	0	3	1
L-Ricciardi (3-2)	6.1	7	6	6	4	2
S- NONE	-	-	-	-	-	-

Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU - White	4	2	2	3	0	1
ASU- Gonzalez	3	0	1	0	0	0

Game Notes

The last time OU posted two shutouts in a weekend series was in 2009 at home against Texas Tech with a 6-0 and 4-0 win (lost finale 5-1) ... Max White hit his first homer of the year and first in 51 games (last: May 1, 2011 vs. Texas) ... White leads OU with 16 multi-hit games and has six such outings in his last nine games played (16-for-31, .516 b/avg with five RBI) ... White tied a season high with three RBIs and leads OU with 12 multi-RBI games ... Alabama State entered the series ranked No. 2 in the nation in stolen bases with 102 (2.62/game) but was 0-for-4 in the series ... OU was 9-for-12 on stolen bases this weekend, including four in the opener and four in the finale.

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NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma completed a three-game sweep of visiting Alabama State on Sunday with a 7-0 victory in the finale. Drew Krittenbrink made his Sooner debut and posted 7 2/3 scoreless innings with three hits, three walks and a strikeout.

The Sooners did not list a starter for Sunday's game going into the weekend, but Krittenbrink was excited to get the nod.

“He (Coach Golloway) just said Krittenbrink is starting and that's how we're gonna play it today,” said Krittenbrink. “My heart started thumping quickly. Then I calmed own and thought about what I was gonna do on the mound. I just pitched to contact. They swung at a lot of first-pitch fastballs and that's what I tried to do.”

“Drew just threw strikes and did what he had to. He hammered the (strike) zone,” said Golloway. “He responded. He's worked hard and he's one of the favorites on the team. We knew team would respond and play hard behind him.”

The Sooners gave Krittenbrink an early cushion thanks to a two-out, two-run single by Tanner Toal (2-for-3, 2 RBI) in the second inning. Then Max White (2-for-4, 3 RBI) provided some extra insurance in the third and seventh innings.

In the third, White hit his first home run of the season and the 19th of his career on a solo shot to right field. Four innings later, White smoked a single down the third base line to bring in a pair of runs for his eighth hit of the weekend series. The Sooners tacked on two more runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead.

“Max is Max right now,” said Golloway. “It's (the homerun) big for him, especially an opposite shot like that. I don't want him swinging for the fences. He's shot the ball all over the yard and has been our best hitter all year. He needs to stick with that approach.”

The win was the eighth straight Sooner victory and improved OU's record to 26-14. ASU starter Anthony Ricciardi (3-2) lasted 6 1/3 innings and was credited with the loss as the Hornets fell to 16-26.

Krittenbrink, Kindle Ladd and Dillon Overton combined on the shutout, the second on the weekend and the fourth this season, and limited the Hornets to just three hits. The Sooner staff allowed 13 hits and one run in the series, and it was unearned, and also struck out 24 batters opposite six walks.

Next up for the Sooners is a pair of midweek games, including a non-conference showdown with Oklahoma State on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Stillwater. On April 25, OU hosts Dallas Baptist. The Patriots beat the Sooners 7-6 on March 13 in Dallas.

“We'll be excited going to Stillwater,” added Golloway. “It's like a pregame for our series coming up in two weeks. It'll be an opportunity for both teams to see what the lineups are like the pitching is gonna be different on the weekend. We'll be ready. We're excited about going up there and then we have another big game back here on Wednesday when DBU comes to town.”

Following the midweek games, OU travels to Lawrence, Kan., to battle the Jayhawks in a three-game series over the weekend.