Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader over Columbia

Friday, March 1

Norman

1:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

Columbia

Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader over Columbia

March 01, 2019 | Baseball

By: Athletics Communications

Columbia

Oklahoma

Columbia

Oklahoma

Game 1 Highlights

Game 1 Line Score
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CU	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	6	0
OU	2	0	4	0	0	3	3	0	X	12	13	1

Game 1 Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
WP - Cavalli (2-0)	6.0	2	0	0	2	5
LP - Simpson (0-1)	3.2	7	6	6	1	4

Game 1 Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	HR
OU - Zaragoza	4	2	2	3	0
OU - Ware	3	2	2	2	1
OU - Muniz	4	1	2	2	0

Game 2 Line Score
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CU	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	7	0
OU	4	0	3	1	0	1	0	0	X	9	13	1

Game 2 Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
WP - Wiles (3-0)	6.0	7	1	1	1	4
LP - Simpson (0-1)	3.0	5	7	7	1	2

Game 2 Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	HR
OU - Hardman	5	2	3	4	2
OU - Zaragoza	5	2	3	1	0
OU - Ware	4	2	2	2	0

NORMAN – The Oklahoma baseball team scored early and often Friday on its way to a doubleheader sweep of Columbia, winning by scores of 12-3 and 9-1 at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

In the opener, Oklahoma (9-1) scored two runs in the first inning on senior third baseman Brylie Ware's first home run of the season, then poured on four runs in the third inning and six runs over the sixth and seventh frames. Junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, and freshman designated hitter Diego Muniz drove in two runs on two doubles.

The Sooners put up seven runs in the first three innings of the nightcap, as sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman hit two-run home runs in each of his first two at bats. Ware started the scoring with a two-run double in the first inning, preceding Hardman's first home run. In the third inning, Hardman and junior catcher Brady Lindsly hit back-to-back homers to push OU out to a 7-0 lead. Oklahoma added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings, and Columbia scored in the sixth inning to reach the 9-1 final.

Pitching did its part once again, as the Sooners held Columbia to just four runs in the doubleheader. Sophomore Cade Cavalli (2-0) struck out five and allowed two hits and two walks in the opener. Junior Nathan Wiles (3-0) struck out four batters and allowed one run while scattering seven hits and a walk.

“It's good that we established the lead early,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. “When you establish a lead early on the offensive side, the pitchers are always going to get better. I think Cade Cavalli really settled in the last three innings and started getting into a rhythm. It is a tough to get in a rhythm in an environment like this when it is really cold. I was really proud of him for that, and our offense did a great job for us."

Junior Braxton Webb and sophomore Aaron Brooks tossed scoreless relief innings in game one. Freshman David Roderick pitched an inning in his debut in game two, and senior Ryan Madden closed out the day shutting out the Lions over two frames.

The Lions (0-2) did not score in the first game until the ninth inning, when left fielder Julian Bury hit a two-run single and a third run scored on a wild pitch. Josh Simpson (0-1) took the loss in game one and Jordan Chriss took the game two loss for Columbia.

Oklahoma opened a 6-0 lead after three innings in the first game. After Ware's first-inning home run, OU scored four runs in the third on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Justin Mitchell, an RBI single by McKenna and a two-run double by Muniz.

In the three-run sixth, Zaragoza knocked a two-run single up the middle and Hardman drove home a run with a base hit to right field. In the seventh, Muniz doubled and scored on a wild pitch while Tredaway and Zaragoza plated runs with infield ground balls to make the score 12-0.

Ware started the second game as he did the first – with a big two-run hit. He doubled to the left center field alley scoring two runs, and Hardman followed with his third home run of the season and first by a Sooner this year at Mitchell Park. In the third, Hardman went deep to left center, and Lindsly followed with his first homer of the season, a blast to right field.
Zaragoza singled home sophomore designated hitter Jordan Vujovich in the fourth, and then scored in the sixth inning on McKenna's double down the line in left. Vujovich tripled to right center to begin the fourth inning.

For the day, Zaragoza went 5-for-9 with four RBIs and four runs scored, Ware was 4-for-7 with four RBIs and four runs and Hardman was 5-for-10 with five RBIs and three runs. The Sooners totaled 26 hits in the two games, nine of which went for extra bases, including four home runs and four doubles.

Oklahoma and Columbia play another doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.