OU Defeats Kansas 5-1 in Big 12 Opener

Oklahoma

Kansas

Box Score

Highlights

Photos

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

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
WP - Cavalli (3-1)	6.2	5	0	0	5	4
LP - Zeferjahn (3-1)	6.0	3	3	3	1	11

IndiInvidual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	HR
OU - Hardman	4	1	1	2	1
OU - Lindsly	4	1	2	1	0
OU - McKenna	3	1	1	1	0

NORMAN – The No. 25 Oklahoma baseball team opened Big 12 conference play with a 5-1 win over Kansas Friday evening at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners (19-4, 1-0 Big 12) scored three runs in the fourth inning and first baseman Tyler Hardman hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning.

Designated hitter Brady Lindsly had the first hit of the game in the fourth with an RBI triple that put the Sooners (19-4, 1-0 Big 12) on the board. OU added RBI singles by second baseman Conor McKenna and catcher Justin Mitchell later in the frame to take a 3-0 lead. Hardman's fifth home run of the season added cushion and made it 5-1 in the bottom of the eighth after the Jayhawks (13-8, 0-1 Big 12) cut it to 3-1 in the top half of the inning.

Sophomore Cade Cavalli (3-1) pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, working around five hits and five walks with four strikeouts to earn the win. Kansas starter Ryan Zeferjahn (3-1) allowed three runs on three hits with 11 strikeouts in 6.0 innings.

“I thought we played good fundamental baseball,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. “For every walk Cade had in there, he had a big pitch, which was really good. He really battled. Offensively, we hit the pitches their guy was giving. He had a great night. He's got a good arm, he's one of the best in the league for sure, and we scored three runs off of him. We got his pitch count up a little bit and that helped us a lot."

A pitcher's duel developed in the early innings, as neither starter allowed a hit through the first three frames. Baserunners came in the form of four walks and two hit batters, but none reached third base.

Third baseman Brylie Ware led off the fourth inning with a walk, and Lindsly hit a one-out laser to the right center field alley to plate the game's first run. McKenna singled to right field scoring Lindsly, then crossed the plate himself on Mitchell's base hit through the left side.

Cavalli did not allow a hit until there was one out in the fifth inning, and he worked around that base hit and a single in the sixth to keep Kansas off the scoreboard. In the seventh, a leadoff infield base hit was negated by a double play, but after two more singles, freshman Wyatt Olds came in and got a groundout to end the inning.

The Jayhawks scored in the top of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Dylan Ditzenberger. The Sooners responded in the bottom half as left fielder Jordan Vujovich beat out a grounder to first base, setting up Hardman's two-run blast to left field that made the score 5-1.

The Sooners and Jayhawks continue their series at 6 p.m. Saturday at Mitchell Park. Saturday is Military Appreciation Night. The first 150 fans can receive a camo OU baseball cap, and a fireworks show will follow the game.