Sooners Power Past Aztecs to Even Series

Saturday, March 7

Norman

2 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

12-4

San Diego State

10-5

San Diego State

Oklahoma

Photo by: Jackson Stewart

Sooners Power Past Aztecs to Even Series

March 07, 2020 | Baseball

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NORMAN – Levi Prater struck out 13 batters and the Sooners hit three home runs as the 11th-ranked Oklahoma baseball team evened the series against San Diego State with an 8-4 win Saturday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

Freshman third baseman Peyton Graham homered in his first two at bats and junior designated hitter Justin Mitchell blasted a solo shot in the sixth inning. Senior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza, senior catcher Brady Lindsly freshman second baseman Logan Kohler and senior right fielder Brady Harlan all added RBI singles for the Sooners (12-4).

Prater (1-0) went 7.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with two walks. The Aztecs (10-5) scored on an RBI triple by third baseman Casey Schmitt in the third inning, but that was the last hit Prater gave up in his outing. The junior retired 15 of his final 16 batters, allowing only a one-out walk in the sixth, and struck out five consecutive batters between the fourth and fifth innings. SDSU starter Troy Melton (3-1) went 5.1 innings and took the loss.

"That was probably one of Levi's better outings was today, going pitch to pitch," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "He really executed some big pitches in the moment. I thought he was really tuned in to what was going on from the get-go. He leaves a ball out over the plate and the guy hits a triple – and that guy's a good hitter – and then Levi went back to executing."

Graham gave Oklahoma a 1-0 lead with his leadoff home run in the second inning, then hit a two-out homer in the fourth to make it 2-1. He was the first Sooner to homer twice in a game since Tyler Hardman last year against Columbia, and he now has three home runs this season.

OU extended the lead to 5-1 in the fifth inning on base hits by Zaragoza and Lindsly. An error following Lindsly's hit allowed Zaragoza to score. Mitchell homered to left field in the sixth inning, his second of the season. Kohler followed with a two-out single to right center that scored Harlan. It was the freshman's first career RBI and made the score 7-1. Harlan brought home Graham on an RBI base hit up the middle in the eighth inning to reach an 8-1 advantage.

San Diego State scored three runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by first baseman Brian Leonhardt, a double by second baseman Mike Jarvis and a single by Schmitt.

OU and San Diego State will play the rubber match at 1 p.m. Sunday. The first 150 fans in attendance will receive a free OU baseball mini bat. Fans can take advantage of the ticket Family Four Pack and kids can run the bases and play catch on the field after the game.