Completed Event: Baseball versus (2) Georgia Tech on May 31, 2026 , Win , 15, to, 8
Final
Baseball
15
vs (2) Georgia Tech
8
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Baseball to Face Rice in Road Series
March 07, 2019 | Baseball
| Pitching Matchup | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Pitch | Oklahoma | Rice |
| Fri. 6:30 p.m. | RHP-Cade Cavalli (2-0, 1.04) | RHP-Matt Canterino (0-2, 2.00) |
| Sat. 2 p.m. | RHP-Nathan Wiles (3-0, 1.35) | LHP-Evan Kravetz (1-1, 3.45) |
| Sun. 1 p.m. | LHP-Levi Prater (2-1, 1.62) | RHP-Jackson Parthasarathy (2-1, 1.69) |
FIRST PITCH
• Oklahoma continues its Texas road swing with a three-game series at Rice this weekend at Reckling Park in Houston. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
• The all-time series between Oklahoma is tied, 5-5. Rice has won the last two meetings, including the most recent in 2008 in Houston.
• The games will be broadcast on SportsTalk 1400AM/99.3 FM in Norman and via the TuneIn mobile app. Live video streaming will be available through RiceOwls.com (subscription required), and links to live stats can be found at SoonerSports.com.
• Oklahoma entered the national rankings for the first time this season this week. Collegiate Baseball ranked OU at No. 25 on Monday after its 5-0 week pushed the season record to 11-1.
• Oklahoma has won 11 of its first 13 games 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 11-2 or better since 2013 when it also began that year 11-2.
• OU ranks fifth in the country with a 2.02 team ERA. The Sooners have allowed just 30 runs this season, 26 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), fourth in double plays (14) and 37th in doubles (26).
• Sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman ranks fifth nationally in RBIs (22), 18th in total bases (37), 30th in home runs (4) and 35th in hits (20). Junior Jason Ruffcorn ranks 18th in saves (3) and 19th in appearances (7).
ABOUT THE SOONERS
• OU is in its second year under the direction of head coach Skip Johnson. Johnson is 49-27 as OU head coach, and led the Sooners to an NCAA regional appearance last season.
• Entering the fourth weekend of the season, OU is batting .282 as a team and averaging 6.2 runs per game, with 26 doubles, seven triples and six home runs. The Sooners allow opponents 2.3 runs per game .218 batting average.
• The OU bullpen has pitched in 45.0 innings this season, allowing just 15 runs and 35 hits while striking out 46 batters.
• All four starting pitchers went 6.0 innings in last weekend's series against Columbia. In five games last week (vs. UAPB and Columbia), the starting pitchers combined for: 5-0 record, 28.0 innings, 22 strikeouts, 21 hits, three runs and five walks allowed.
• Sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman has hit safely in each of the last 12 games, and over the last seven contests is batting .419 (13 for 31) with 13 RBIs, six runs scored, three home runs and a double.
• Hardman and junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza have reached base safely in 13 straight games. Sophomore outfielder Jordan Vujovich has reached base in seven straight games. Zaragoza has a seven-game hitting streak.
• In his last seven games, Zaragoza is batting .517 (15 for 29) and has accounted for 17 of the team's 52 runs scored in the seven games. He has scored nine runs and tallied eight RBIs in that span.
• Sophomores Cade Cavalli and Levi Prater each allowed no runs in 6.0 innings in their starts last weekend.
• 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.
• Zaragoza leads the Sooners with a .383 batting average and 13 runs scored among qualifiers. Hardman is batting .377 with a team-high 22 RBIs and eight extra base hits, including four home runs. Mitchell carries a .458 batting average in seven starts. McKenna has scored 10 runs and hit four doubles, and Zaragoza is second with 10 RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Tanner Tredaway leads the team with four stolen bases, and McKenna has three.
ABOUT THE OWLS
• Rice is in its first season under head coach Matt Bragga. Bragga replaced longtime coach Wayne Graham, who led the Owls to the 2003 national championship and seven College World Series appearances. Bragga moved to Rice after 15 years at Tennessee Tech.
• The Owls have won four of their last six games after a 2-6 start to the season. In the last week, Rice defeated Baylor (6-3) and TCU (12-2) on Saturday and Sunday, and Houston (5-3) on Tuesday. It lost on Friday to Texas State (1-0) and on Wednesday to Sam Houston State (10-9).
• The Owls are hitting .271 as a team, and averaging 7.0 runs and 3.2 extra base hits per game. Braden Comeaux leads the team with a .339 batting average while Trei Cruz has a team-high 20 RBIs and four home runs with a .322 batting average.
• Rice has a 4.53 team ERA and 138 strikeouts against 57 walks in 129.0 innings. Sunday starter Jackson Parthasarthy leads the starters with a 1.69 ERA, and Saturday starter Evan Kravetz has totaled 25 strikeouts, four walks and 12 hits allowed in 15.2 innings.
• The Owls have won four of their last six games after a 2-6 start to the season. In the last week, Rice defeated Baylor (6-3) and TCU (12-2) on Saturday and Sunday, and Houston (5-3) on Tuesday. It lost on Friday to Texas State (1-0) and on Wednesday to Sam Houston State (10-9).
• The Owls are hitting .271 as a team, and averaging 7.0 runs and 3.2 extra base hits per game. Braden Comeaux leads the team with a .339 batting average while Trei Cruz has a team-high 20 RBIs and four home runs with a .322 batting average.
• Rice has a 4.53 team ERA and 138 strikeouts against 57 walks in 129.0 innings. Sunday starter Jackson Parthasarthy leads the starters with a 1.69 ERA, and Saturday starter Evan Kravetz has totaled 25 strikeouts, four walks and 12 hits allowed in 15.2 innings.
SERIES HISTORY
• Oklahoma and Rice have played 10 times. The series is tied, 5-5.
• Rice has won two straight in the series, most recently a 7-2 in in Houston in 2008.
• The Sooners and Owls met five times in 2006, including in the Super Regional at Rice. The teams split two regular meetings, with each team winning on its home field, before the Owls won two of three games in the Super Regional.
• The Sooners won the first two meetings in Norman in 1991, and the teams split two games in Houston in 1992.
• Rice has won two straight in the series, most recently a 7-2 in in Houston in 2008.
• The Sooners and Owls met five times in 2006, including in the Super Regional at Rice. The teams split two regular meetings, with each team winning on its home field, before the Owls won two of three games in the Super Regional.
• The Sooners won the first two meetings in Norman in 1991, and the teams split two games in Houston in 1992.
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP/INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballThursday, June 25
Wednesday, June 24
Monday, June 22
Monday, June 22
