OU Baseball Notebook March 1

Overall Record: 4-3

National Rankings: No. 25 by Baseball America

LAST WEEK RESULTS: 4-3
L 3-6 at home vs. Nebraska-Omaha
W 8-5 at home vs. Nebraska-Omaha
L 5-9 at neutral site vs. Stephen F. Austin (Arlington, Texas)
W 7-1 at neutral site vs. UT Arlington (Arlington, Texas)
W 4-3 at neutral site vs. Auburn (Round Rock Classic/Round Rock, Texas)
L 1-8 at neutral site vs. Texas A&M (Round Rock Classic/Round Rock, Texas)
W 9-3 at neutral site vs. Baylor (Round Rock Classic/Round Rock, Texas)

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Thursday, March 4 vs. Arizona – 2 p.m. CT (Frisco Classic/Frisco, Texas)
Friday, March 5 vs. Arizona – Noon CT (Frisco Classic/Frisco, Texas)
Saturday, March 6 vs. Missouri – 7 p.m. CT (Frisco Classic/Frisco, Texas)
Sunday, March 7 vs. Dallas Baptist – 6 p.m. CT (Frisco Classic/Frisco, Texas)

KEY NOTES OF THE WEEK:

Oklahoma opened the 2021 season last week with seven games in an eight-day span from Feb. 21-28 (only day without a game was Thursday). The Sooners went 4-3 in those games, including a 2-1 mark over the weekend in the Round Rock Classic, with wins against Auburn and Baylor.
Super senior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza made his 200th career start on Sunday. The fifth-year product of Moore, Okla., has played in 202 career games and has started 189 consecutive contests, dating back to the 2017 season.
In a 3-3 game against Omaha on Monday, Diego Muniz (RBI single) and Conor McKenna (grand slam) delivered in back-to-back pinch-hit at bats to lead the Sooners to their first win of the season.
OU came from behind against Auburn on Friday to win 4-3 in 10 innings. Trailing 3-0 after three frames, the Sooners scored a run in the fifth and then tied it with single runs in the eighth and ninth innings before winning on a Tyler Hardman single in the 10th.
Jaret Godman pitched 6.0 scoreless relief innings in the win over Auburn. It was a career-long outing for the third-year sophomore, who struck out four and worked around four hits and one walk. His previous long outing was 5.0 innings in a start at Wichita State in 2019.
Stellar bullpen performances was a theme for OU at the Round Rock Classic. Javier Ramos retired all eight batters he faced over 2.2 innings (with three strikeouts) against Texas A&M on Saturday. Carson Carter pitched 3.0 frames against Baylor on Sunday, allowing only one unearned run and striking out four batters. He has not allowed an earned run in 7.0 innings this season. Carson Atwood tossed a scoreless inning against A&M Saturday, and also threw 2.0 frames without allowing a run against SFA on Tuesday.
Luke Taggart and Braden Carmichael made their OU debuts in starts at Globe Life Field last week. Taggart, a graduate transfer from Incarnate Word, was efficient in throwing 51 pitches over 5.0 innings against SFA on Tuesday. Carmichael, a transfer from Grayson College, battled through 4.0 frames against UTA on Wednesday, allowing no runs on three hits and three walks, and striking out five batters.
Second-year freshman Jake Bennett pitched 5.0 innings in each of his two starts last week. He notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in his season debut against Omaha last Monday, then tossed 5.0 frames allowing just two unearned runs in OU's win over Baylor Sunday night.
Catcher/DH Jimmy Crooks got off to a hot start last week, hitting .364 with two home runs, five walks and five RBIs. The second-year freshman transfer from McLennan College homered in each of the Sooners' games at Globe Life Field, launching a three-run blast vs. SFA and a solo shot vs. UTA.
McKenna, a fifth-year senior, also had a big week at the plate, hitting .320 with two homers, and a team-high six RBIs and six runs scored. He went 5 for 12 (.417) and scored four runs in the Round Rock Classic.
Third-year sophomore Muniz has batted 14 times this season and tallied seven hits, all singles (he has started three of his five games played). He has driven in five runs, scored four times and reached base in eight of his 15 plate appearances (.563 OBP).
Brett Squires, a second-year sophomore, led the Sooners offensively on Sunday, with three hits and three RBIs. The transfer from McLennan College notched his first hit of the season on an RBI double in the first inning and followed with two RBI singles later in the game. He also displayed a sure glove both at third base on Sunday, making a diving catch on a line drive, and in right field, where he dove in to grab a dying pop up Wednesday at Globe Life Field.
Oklahoma tallied season highs of nine runs and 13 hits against Baylor on Sunday. The Sooners have collected at least 10 hits in three games this season (all in the last four contests): 10 vs. UTA, 12 vs. Auburn and 13 vs. Baylor.
OU is playing nine consecutive games in professional ballparks, all affiliates of the Texas Rangers. Games on Feb. 23-24 were played at Globe Life Field, home of the Rangers. The Round Rock Classic (Feb. 26-28) was held at Dell Diamond, home of the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate Round Rock Express. The Frisco Classic this weekend will be held at Dr. Pepper Ballpark in Frisco, Texas, home of the Rangers' Double-A affiliate Frisco RoughRiders.

Fan Cutouts at L. Dale Mitchell Park

This season, the OU Athletics Department is offering fans an opportunity to join the Sooners at L. Dale Mitchell Park even if you can't physically be at the games. For $50, you can get a cutout of yourself placed in open seat areas around the stadium. Cutout opportunities are limited and served on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to order.
Proceeds from the fan cutouts will benefit the Sooner Relief Fund, which directly impacts the OU student-athlete experience.

Players Mentioned

Carson Atwood

Jake Bennett

Braden Carmichael

Carson Carter

Jimmy Crooks

Jaret Godman

Tyler Hardman

Conor McKenna

Diego Muniz

Javier Ramos

Brett Squires

Luke Taggart

Brandon Zaragoza

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics