Baseball Home Opener Tuesday

Tuesday, February 18

Norman

3 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

Texas Southern

Tickets

Photo by: Joshua R. Gateley

February 17, 2020 | Baseball

Game Day Information Tickets Watch Listen Live Stats Twitter

Sooners Host Texas Southern Tuesday and Wednesday at 3 p.m.

¹⁶ Oklahoma

Texas Southern

Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 18-19 / L. Dale Mitchell Park

Tickets / Watch / Radio / Live Stats / Game Notes / Game Day Info / Twitter

Pitching Matchups*
First Pitch	Oklahoma	Texas Southern
Tuesday, 3 p.m.	RHP Ben Abram (6-4, 4.24)	TBA
Wednesday, 3 p.m.	LHP Jake Bennett	TBA
* 2019 Stats

First Pitch:
• Oklahoma opens its 2020 home schedule with six games this week, beginning with a two-game set against Texas Southern on Tuesday and Wednesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. First pitch each day is 3 p.m.
• The Sooners will play host to Illinois State for a four-game series this weekend, Feb. 21-23. Game times are 3 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday (doubleheader) and 1 p.m. Sunday.
• All six games will be broadcast on Sportstalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM and streamed live on SoonerSports.com
• The Sooners are ranked as high as No. 15 in the Feb. 17 national polls. OU is ranked No. 15 by Perfect Game, No. 16 by Baseball America, No. 23 by D1Baseball and No. 24 by the NCBWA.
• OU is in its third season under the direction of head coach Skip Johnson. Johnson has led the Sooners to a 73-49 record and an NCAA postseason appearance in 2018.
• Eleven different Sooners recorded a hit in the series against Virginia and eight different players scored a run in the series against Virginia. Junior first baseman Tyler Hardman led the way with four hits while senior catcher Brady Lindsly, junior outfielder Tanner Tredaway and freshman third baseman Peyton Graham recorded three apiece.
• A total of eight players made their Oklahoma debuts in the season-opening series, including Graham, who started all three games at third base, freshman outfielder Kendall Pettis, who started the third game of the series and junior Dane Acker, who started game three on the mound.
• The Sooners did not commit an error in three games and turned two double plays, including one to end the eighth inning in the nightcap Saturday. Junior catcher Justin Mitchell threw out two runners attempting to steal second on Friday.

Promotions:
• Tuesdays at L. Dale Mitchell Park are $2 Tuesdays. Fans can purchase $2 hot dogs at the concession stands.

Ticket Information:
• General admission seats with chair backs are available in boxes 6, 8 and 10-18, as well as bleacher sections. General admission tickets are $10 while reserved seats are $15.
• 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 for 2020:
• Consistent with all University of Oklahoma Athletics events, a clear bag policy is in effect for the 2020 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 are required to go through appropriate security screening at the main gate west entrance. Per Big 12 conference policy, umbrellas are not allowed in the stadium, but ponchos and other rain gear are permitted.
• For more information, visit SoonerSports.com/gameday.

On the Air:
• Taylor Maples will call the action locally on Sportstalk 99.3 FM/1400 AM KREF.
• The games will be streamed live on SoonerSports.com, with audio from Maples' radio call.

Series History:
• Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Texas Southern, 3-0. All three games have been played in Norman.
• The Sooners won 10-2 last season, and in 2018 by scores of 12-0 and 10-1.

About the Sooners:
• Oklahoma won at least two games on opening weekend for the second straight year and the seventh time in the last eight years. The Wahoos Classic was a neutral site, though the Sooners were the visitors in each game. OU opened on the road in 2018 at a Coastal Carolina/Myrtle Beach tournament, but the last time it opened a season at a neutral site (no part of the event on campus) was in 2004 at the Coca-Cola Classic Spring Tournament in Surprise, Ariz.
• Tyler Hardman hit .308 (4-13) with a home run and four RBIs. He provided the winning runs and the insurance in the series-clinching victory Saturday evening, smashing OU's first home run of the season to break a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning. He added a two-run single in the top of the ninth to make it a 5-1 lead.
• Brady Lindsly hit .375 (3-8) in two games, driving a double and scoring twice in OU's 7-2 victory Saturday afternoon.
• Brandon Zaragoza recorded three RBIs and converted 10 fielding chances at shortstop, including four putouts and two double plays.
• Wyatt Olds also turned in a fantastic outing Saturday evening in relief of Acker, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings and allowing two hits and three walks with six strikeouts to earn the victory.
• Zack Matthews threw 2.2 scoreless innings in OU's first win Saturday afternoon, allowing only three baserunner with two strikeouts.
• Jason Ruffcorn pitched in both games Saturday, striking out three over 2.0 innings. He entered the nightcap Saturday with two runners on base and retired all three batters he faced, earning his first save of the season.
• Ledgend Smith was perfect in two relief appearances, totaling 1.2 innings over Friday night (0.2 inning, strikeout) and Saturday afternoon (1.0 inning).
• Under Skip Johnson's tutelage, OU's pitching staffs have posted a progressively lower ERA in each of the last three seasons (since Johnson arrived as pitching coach for the 2017 season). OU's 3.92 team ERA in 2019 was only the seventh team ERA under 4.00 since 1980, and the first since 2015.
• Peyton Graham was the first true freshman to start on the infield in a season opener since 2018 when current junior pitcher Cade Cavalli started at first base. Senior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza also started at shortstop as a true freshman in 2017.
• Graham recorded three hits, batting .333 (3-9) with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored in his first collegiate action. He also made two putouts and eight assists at third base.
• Kendall Pettis recorded a hit in his first collegiate at bat, beating out an infield single, then singled again to shortstop in the sixth inning. He also made two putouts in the outfield.
• Dane Acker was outstanding in his OU debut in the second game on Saturday, retiring the first eight batters he faced and allowing no hits until the fifth inning. He finished his outing after 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and no walks, allowing a run on one hit.