OU Baseball Notebook March 22

Overall Record: 12-7

LAST WEEK RESULTS: 4-0
W 8-5 road at No. 1 Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
W 7-2 home vs. Houston (Norman, Okla.
W 19-1 home vs. Houston (Norman, Okla.
W 12-2 home vs. Houston (Norman, Okla.

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Wednesday, March 24 at Texas State – 6 p.m. (San Marcos, Texas)
Friday, March 26 at No. 9 Texas – 7 p.m. (Austin, Texas)
Saturday, March 27 at No. 9 Texas – 5:30 p.m. (Austin, Texas)
Sunday, March 28 at No. 9 Texas – 1 p.m. (Austin, Texas)

KEY NOTES OF THE WEEK:

Oklahoma won all four games last week and has won six in a row going back to the second game of its series against Arkansas State.
In the three-game series against Houston, the Sooners totaled 38 runs, 42 hits, 21 extra base hits, 14 doubles and six home runs, hitting .416/.512/.752 as a team.
Perhaps just as impressive as the offensive output, the OU pitching staff limited the Cougars to five runs on 18 hits, striking out 33 batters against just seven walks, and posting a 1.08 team ERA. The three starters combined to allow one run in 15.0 total innings.
Oklahoma leads the nation in total runs scored (166), ranks third nationally in hits (218) and doubles (47), sixth in batting average (.322) and OBP (.430), eighth in scoring (8.7 runs per game) and 15 in slugging percentage (.488). Tyler Hardman ranks third nationally and leads the Big 12 in hits (35) and ranks 26th nationally in total bases (49). He and Jimmy Crooks are tied for sixth in runs scored (25).
Oklahoma won its first true road game of the season last Tuesday, defeating No. 1 Arkansas 8-5 in Fayetteville.
The Sooners will be on the road for four games this week. OU plays at Texas State on Wednesday and opens Big 12 play at No. 9 Texas this weekend.
Fifth-year senior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza turned in a career weekend at the plate, notching several benchmarks in the series. He recorded his 100th RBI on Friday, becoming the 42nd Sooner to register 100 hits, 100 runs and 100 RBIs in his career. On Saturday, in his 200th consecutive start, he recorded his 200th career hit, going 4 for 5 in the game. On Sunday he hit his first career home run. Overall, he batted .636 (7 for 11) with nine RBIs, three doubles and four runs scored, totaling a 1.182 slugging pct. and a .692 OBP.
Second-year freshman Jimmy Crooks hit .615 (8 for 13) with two home runs, three doubles, seven runs scored and four RBIs (1.308 slugging and .643 OBP).
Fifth-year senior second baseman Conor McKenna drove in eight runs and scored four times while going 4 for 11 (.364) with three walks over the weekend.
Senior Breydon Daniel hit his first home run as a Sooner in OU's win at Arkansas. His two-run opposite-field homer gave OU a 4-2 lead it would not relinquish. The Kentucky transfer and Bixby, Okla., native also notched four RBIs in OU's 19-1 win on Saturday, hitting a three-run triple off the left center field wall.
Second-year sophomore Braden Carmichael earned two wins in his two starts last week, improving to 4-0 on the season. He struck out seven over 6.0 innings, retiring 12 straight at one point, and left the game with an 8-4 lead. He tossed three shutout innings on Sunday, striking out four and scattering three hits.
Third-year sophomore Wyatt Olds turned in a career outing Friday night, striking out 10 batters over 6.0 innings. It tied for his longest start and set a personal best for strikeouts (he had nine K's in 6.0 innings in a start against Illinois State last season). He allowed one run, one walk and four hits in OU's 7-2 series-opening victory.
Second-year freshman Jake Bennett pitched a career-high 6.0 innings, allowing no runs, no walks and only two hits, and struck out six batters in OU's 19-1 victory on Saturday. He pitched 5.0 innings in three of his previous four starts this season.
Fifth-year senior Jason Ruffcorn earned his first save of the season on Tuesday (in his first save opportunity). He struck out three batters with two runners on base to secure OU's three-run lead.

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.Orders will be accepted until the end of March.
Proceeds from the fan cutouts will benefit the Sooner Relief Fund, which directly impacts the OU student-athlete experience.