Baseball Plays at Dallas Baptist Wednesday

March 6 | Dallas, Texas | Horner Ballpark

Oklahoma

Dallas Baptist

KREF 1400

Live Stats

Notes

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Pitching Matchup
First Pitch	Oklahoma	DBU
Wed. 3 p.m.	RHP-Jaret Godman (1-0, 5.06)	RHP-Luke Trahan (0-0, 2.63)

FIRST PITCH

• Oklahoma begins a four-game road swing with a contest at Dallas Baptist Wednesday in Dallas. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Horner Ballpark.
• The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed due to forecast cold temperatures in the Dallas area for Tuesday night.
• This is the second of two meetings between OU and DBU this season. The Sooners won the first meeting 4-2 in Norman on Feb. 20.
• Oklahoma and Dallas Baptist were originally scheduled to play Feb. 19 in Dallas and March 5 in Norman, but due to inclement weather in the region two weeks ago, the sites were flipped and OU and DBU played at L. Dale Mitchell Park on Feb. 20, with the return trip set for March 5 in Dallas.
• Wednesday's game will be broadcast on SportsTalk 1400AM/99.3 FM in Norman and via the TuneIn mobile app. Live video streaming will be available through DBU Patriots.com, and link to live stats can be found at SoonerSports.com.
• Oklahoma is 11-1 for the second time in three years. Prior to 2017 (13-1 start), when Skip Johnson joined the Sooners as pitching coach, OU had not started a season 11-1 or better since 2013 when it also began that year 11-1.
• OU ranks fifth in the country with a 1.58 team ERA. The Sooners have allowed just 23 runs this season, 19 of which have been earned. All four OU starting pitchers boast an ERA of 1.80 or lower.
• The Sooners rank second in the country in triples (7), third in shutouts (3) and double plays (14), 17th in WHIP (1.1) and 28th in doubles (25).
• Sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman ranks fifth nationally in RBIs (21), 13th in total bases (36), 23rd in home runs (4) and 28th in hits (19). Junior Jason Ruffcorn ranks 10th in saves (3) and 32nd in appearances (6).
• Entering the fourth week of the season, OU is batting .284 as a team and averaging 6.6 runs per game, with 25 doubles, seven triples and six home runs. The Sooners allow opponents 1.9 runs per game .211 batting average.

LAST WEEK

• OU pitchers posted a 1.20 ERA in five games last week. All four starters lasted 6.0 innings in the weekend series, going 5-0 and allowing just three combined runs, 21 hits and five walks in 28.0 innings.
• Freshman Ben Abram went 2-0, striking out 11 batters in 10.0 innings, and allowing just two runs on eight hits and no walks last week.
• Sophomores Cade Cavalli and Levi Prater each allowed no runs in 6.0 innings in their starts.
• Junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza was on fire at the plate last week, batting .550 (11 for 20) and accounting for 15 of the team's 44 runs scored in the five games. He scored seven runs and tallied eight RBIs, including a two-run single in the finale that gave OU the lead for good.

ABOUT THE SOONERS

• OU is in its second year under the direction of head coach Skip Johnson. Johnson is 49-26 as OU head coach, and led the Sooners to an NCAA regional appearance last season.
• Sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman has hit safely in each of the last 11 games, and over the last six contests is batting .444 (12 for 27) with 12 RBIs, six runs scored, three home runs and a double.
• Hardman, junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza and junior infielder Conor McKenna have reached base safely in 12 straight games. Sophomore outfielder Jordan Vujovich has reached base in six straight games. McKenna and Zaragoza each have six-game hitting streaks.
• Junior catcher Brady Lindsly batted .400 in two starts and hit his first home run and first triple of the season last week. Sophomore catcher Justin Mitchell went 5 for 10 at the plate in three games last week. Senior third baseman Brylie Ware hit his first home run on Friday and doubled twice last week, driving in five runs and scoring five runs. Freshman center fielder Milan Walla batted .364 and scored five runs last week. Senior Ryan Madden pitched 4.1 scoreless relief innings across two outings for the Sooners.
• All four starting pitchers went 6.0 innings in the weekend series against Columbia. In five games last week, the starting pitchers combined for: 5-0 record, 28.0 innings, 22 strikeouts, 21 hits, three runs and five walks allowed.
• In four career starts, freshman Ben Abram has pitched 15.0 innings and allowed three earned runs, 12 hits and no walks, and has struck out 16 batters.
• Mitchell leads the Sooners with a .458 batting average, Hardman hits .388 and Zaragoza is hitting .372. Zaragoza leads the team with 11 runs scored followed by McKenna's 10 runs scored. Hardman has a team-high 21 RBIs and four home runs while Zaragoza has driven in 10 runs and has drawn a team-high 10 walks. Sophomore outfielder Tanner Tredaway leads the team with four stolen bases.
• The OU bullpen has pitched in 39.0 innings this season, allowing just eight runs and 25 hits while striking out 38 batters and posting a 1.85 ERA.

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS

• Dallas Baptist is coached by Dan Heefner, who is in his 15th season at the school and 12th as head coach. He has posted a 438-232 record at DBU, and led the Patriots to eight NCAA postseason appearances, including five in a row.
• DBU swept a three-game series from Houston Baptist last weekend in Dallas, winning 7-1, 2-1 and 12-2. The Patriots lost to Baylor last Tuesday in Waco, 10-4.
• The Patriots are hitting .259 as a team, and averaging 6.3 runs and 2.6 extra base hits as a team. Luke Bandy leads the team with a .351 batting average and two home runs, and Jackson Glenn is batting .341 with seven RBIs and three doubles.

SERIES HISTORY

• Oklahoma and Dallas Baptist have played 36 times. OU leads the series, 24-12.
• OU won the first meeting this season, 4-2, in Norman on Feb. 20.
• The Patriots have won four straight meetings in Dallas, dating back to 2012. OU last won against DBU in Dallas in 2010.
• The teams split two games last season. DBU won 5-2 in Dallas and OU won 15-3 in Norman.
• The Sooners won the first 14 meetings in the series, which was first played in 1978, then won six in row between 2007 and 2010. DBU has won 10 of the last 13 meetings.