Prater Named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week

NORMAN – Oklahoma baseball sophomore Levi Prater was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after his sharp performance at Rice on Sunday, the league office announced Monday.

Prater was outstanding in the 6-0 series-clinching victory on Sunday, pitching a career-long eight shutout innings and matching his career high with nine strikeouts. He allowed three hits and one walk, and just two runners reached second base against him. He ended his outing by striking out the side to strand a single in the seventh, then sat down the Owls in order in the eighth inning.

The Ada, Okla., native is 3-1 with a team-low 1.09 ERA and has tallied 25 strikeouts in 24.2 innings with a .198 opponent batting average. He has pitched 14 consecutive scoreless innings in his last two starts, both OU shutouts.

This is Prater's first career Big 12 weekly honor, and the third for the Sooners this season. Tyler Hardman (Player of the Week) and Nathan Wiles (Pitcher of the Week) took home the honors on Feb. 25.

Oklahoma (13-3) plays host to UT Arlington (11-5) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.