Sooners Sweep Doubleheader, Win Series over Virginia

Saturday, February 15

Pensacola, Fla.

1 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

1-1

Virginia

1-1

Oklahoma

Virginia

Photo by: Nino Mendez

Sooners Sweep Doubleheader, Win Series over Virginia

February 15, 2020 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score Game 1 Highlights Game 2 Highlights

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 19 Oklahoma baseball team bounced back on Saturday to defeat Virginia 7-2 and 5-1 in the doubleheader and win the season-opening series in the Wahoos Classic at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

The Sooners (2-1) jumped on the board in the first two innings Saturday and rode outstanding pitching, capping the day with offensive fireworks. Junior first baseman Tyler Hardman drove in four runs, including a two-run home run, in the last three innings of the second game. Senior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza recorded three RBI and freshman third baseman Peyton Graham tallied three hits and two doubles in the first game.

"The big moments in the game were when Hardman hit the home run and when we got a big double play ball to end the eighth inning," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "Dane (Acker) really set the tone in the second game just by throwing strike one. He really kept them off balance. The first game was really big because we separated the game early and kept the momentum. We kind of lost it a little bit there in the fifth inning, and then regained it and got a run late. That was huge."

Game 1: OU 7, Virginia 2

Oklahoma wasted no time getting on the scoreboard Saturday after going scoreless on Friday night. Junior designated hitter Jordan Vujovich led off the game with a double and scored on a Texas League double by senior right fielder Brady Harlan. In the second, Vujovich drove a sacrifice fly to score senior catcher Brady Lindsly.

The Sooners added a run in the fourth inning when Graham doubled off the left center field wall and scored on a base hit by sophomore left fielder Diego Muniz. In the fifth, Tredaway hit a leadoff single and scored on Zaragoza's groundout and Lindsly came home on a wild pitch after doubling down the left field line. Graham then hit his second consecutive double to plate Vujovich and extend OU's lead to 6-0.

Virginia (1-2) scored two runs in the fifth inning on a single by shortstop Nic Kent and a walk. The Sooners tacked on a run in the top of the ninth when Zaragoza hit a sac fly to score Tredaway.

Junior Levi Prater scattered five hits and two runs over 4.1 innings with five strikeouts. Junior Zack Matthews (1-0) got the final two outs of the fifth and allowed just one hit over 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win. Junior Ledgend Smith and senior Jason Ruffcorn closed out the game with one scoreless inning apiece.

Game 2: OU 5, Virginia 1

Hardman broke open a tie game with a mammoth two-run home run to left field in the seventh inning. He added a two-run single in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 5-1.

Junior Dane Acker was outstanding in his OU debut, pitching 5.0 innings and allowing one run on one hit with six strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Wyatt Olds (1-0) turned in a tremendous relief outing, tossing 3.0 shutout innings and allowing just two hits with six strikeouts to earn the win. Ruffcorn relieved him in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Zaragoza struck first for the Sooners with his third RBI of the day, driving an RBI single to right field and scoring junior catcher Justin Mitchell in the fourth inning. The Cavaliers tied the game with an RBI base hit in the fifth inning by catcher Logan Michaels. Hardman struck with OU's first homer of the season after Graham drew a two-out walk in the seventh. The first baseman then provided insurance with his two-run single in the top of the ninth.

Oklahoma is home for six straight games next week. The Sooners play a two-game set against Texas Southern on Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch for both days is set for 3 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. OU continues at home against next weekend with a four-game series against Illinois State, Feb. 21-23.