Baseball to Host Oral Roberts Tuesday

April 2 | Norman, Okla. | L. Dale Mitchell Park

Oklahoma

Oral Roberts

SoonerSports.tv

KREF 1400

Live Stats

Notes

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Pitching Matchup
First Pitch	Oklahoma	Oral Roberts
Tues. 6:30 p.m.	RHP-Ben Abram (5-0, 2.73)	LHP-Caleb Lee (0-0, 7.20)

FIRST PITCH

• Oklahoma begins a six-game homestand on Tuesday against Oral Roberts. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
• This is the first of two meetings between OU and ORU. The Sooners are scheduled to visit Tulsa on April 16.
• Oklahoma is at least 22-7 to start a season for the second time in three years. In 2017 – when Skip Johnson joined OU as pitching coach – the team started the season 24-5.
• OU ranks 12th in the country with a 2.91 team ERA. The Sooners rank 12th in the country in triples (12), 15th in shutouts (4) and sixth in double plays (28). OU leads the Big 12 in ERA (2.91) and walks per nine innings (3.65).
• Until Sunday, Oklahoma had won 14 straight rubber games in Big 12 conference series dating back to the end of the 2014 season.
• Following Tuesday's game the Sooners play host to TCU for a three-game Big 12 series Friday through Sunday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU will then host Texas Southern for a two-game midweek set April 9-10.
• Junior catcher Brady Lindsly ranks seventh nationally – and first among catchers – with four triples. Sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman ranks 36th nationally in hits (41), sophomore outfielder Jordan Vujovich and junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza rank 13th (27) and 38th (23) in walks, respectively.
• Fans have only 10 more chances to see the Sooners play at L. Dale Mitchell Park this season. In May, OU will host Texas Tech for three games and the Sunday game of the Bedlam series. The remaining 16 contests, including the first two games of the Bedlam series, will be played on the road or at neutral sites.

ON THE AIR

• The game will be broadcast online via SoonerSports.tv with commentary provided by Chad McKee and George Frazier. Toby Rowland will provide radio coverage on Sportstalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM and the Sooner Sports Network. The radio call will also be streamed Sportstalk1400.com and the TuneIn mobile app.

TICKETS

• The ticket office and gates open 90 minutes prior to the scheduled game time. The ticket office and will call windows are located behind home plate, along W. Imhoff Rd.

CLEAR BAG POLICY/STADIUM ENTRY

• Consistent with all University of Oklahoma Athletics events, a clear bag policy is in effect for the 2019 baseball season at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
• The approved clear plastic bag size is a maximum of 12 inches x 6 inches x 12 inches or a one-gallon clear plastic freezer bag. Stadium policy will allow non-transparent clutch purses that are no larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.
• In addition, metal detectors will be located at each stadium entrance gate.
• Lawn chairs and metal frame seats with chairbacks are allowed in L. Dale Mitchell Park, and will be required to go through appropriate security screening at the main gate west entrance.
• For more information, visit SoonerSports.com/gameday.

ABOUT THE SOONERS

• OU is in its second year under the direction of head coach Skip Johnson. Johnson is 60-32 as OU head coach, and led the Sooners to an NCAA regional appearance last season.
• Oklahoma won its 2,600th game in program history on March 24. The Sooners are 2,601-1,504-12 (.633) all-time in their 119th season of competition.
• OU has allowed three or fewer runs in 19 of 29 games this season, and allowed one or zero runs 12 times.
• OU is batting .278 as a team and averaging 6.41 runs per game, with 53 doubles, 12 triples and 15 home runs. The Sooners allow opponents 3.5 runs per game and a .230 batting average.
• The Sooners have a 2.91 team ERA with 253 strikeouts to 104 walks in 256.2 innings. The starting pitchers have a 2.21 ERA and have struck out 159 batters and allowed 125 hits in 159.0 innings.
• Sophomore Cade Cavalli struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed just four hits and three walks in 5.0 innings Friday, turning in what head coach Skip Johnson described as his best pitching performance of the season to this point. He also tallied two hits and scored two runs at the plate.
• Junior Jason Ruffcorn picked up his seventh save of the season and fourth in a span of six games on Friday night. He leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th nationally in saves. He also leads the league and ranks seventh nationally with 17 appearances.
• Freshman Wyatt Olds ranks 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 16 appearances. He pitched 2.2 innings across two appearances last week, allowing no runs, one hit, one walk and striking out three batters. He retired all six batters he faced on Sunday.
• Freshman Jaret Godman pitched 4.1 innings in two appearances last week. He struck out three batters and allowed three hits, a run and no walks, and retired eight straight batters to end his outing Sunday.
• Three of four hits by junior second baseman Conor McKenna last week went for extra bases. He homered at Oklahoma State on Tuesday and doubled twice against West Virginia Friday. In 15 games since March 9, he has batted .404 (23-for-57) with 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored, raising his batting average 100 points from .212 to .312.
• Sophomore outfielder Jordan Vujovich has reached base in 20 of the 21 games in which he has started this season. He leads the team with a .500 on-base percentage, which is tied for second in the Big 12 and ranks 40th nationally. He has drawn 27 walks and been hit by a pitch eight times.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES

• Oral Roberts is in its seventh year under head coach Ryan Folmar, who has led the Golden Eagles to a 228-143 record.
• The Golden Eagles won two of three games at home against North Dakota State last weekend, and defeated Little Rock last week. ORU has played just three road games this season, posting an 0-3 mark in away games to this point.
• ORU is hitting .262 as a team, and averaging 6.16 runs and 3.0 extra base hits per game. Spencer Henson leads the team with a .357 batting average and 24 RBIs, while Hunter Wilson bats .333 and has scored a team-high 23 runs.
• The Golden Eagles have a 4.91 team ERA and 206 strikeouts against 100 walks in 220.0 innings. Tuesday starter Caleb Lee has made two appearances and one start, pitching 5.0 innings with a 7.20 ERA.

SERIES HISTORY

• Oklahoma and Oral Roberts have played 75 times. The Sooners lead the overall series, 41-34.
• OU won both meetings last season, 5-2 in Tulsa and 20-3 in Norman. The Sooners have won four of the last five in the series.
• The teams split two games in 2016 and 2017, with each team winning on its home field.
• OU won five straight between 2012 and 2013, followed by four ORU wins in a row between 2014 and 2016.
• Oklahoma leads the series in Norman, 23-17. The Sooners won the first eight meetings in the series, which dates back to 1970.