OU Blasts Kansas, Wins Series

Sunday, April 11

Norman

2 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

16-15, 0

Kansas

18-13, 0

Kansas

Oklahoma

Photo by: Joshua R. Gateley

April 11, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score Sooners Take Series Highlights Box Score Box Score Tickets vs. Texas Southern

NORMAN – The Oklahoma baseball team pounded 15 hits and scored all 14 of its runs over three frames to clinch the series with a 14-3 victory over Kansas in seven innings Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The top of the OU lineup – center fielder Tanner Tredaway, catcher Jimmy Crooks and first baseman Tyler Hardman – combined for 10 hits (10 for 12), seven RBIs, seven runs and four extra base hits. Third baseman Peyton Graham went 2 for 4 with four RBIs and right fielder Brett Squires tripled in two runs. Hardman hit his eighth home run of the season and Graham hit his fifth homer, as the Sooners (16-15, 3-6 Big 12) notched six extra base hits in the game.

Braden Carmichael (5-1) struck out six and scattered eight hits over 5.1 innings in the win. Luke Taggart tossed 1.1 perfect frames with two strikeouts in relief. KU starter Eli Davis (3-4) took the loss for the Jayhawks (18-13, 2-7 Big 12).

"We showed a little more sense of urgency today," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "Braden was really good early, and Luke was really good at the end. We situational hit in the third inning and scored two runs really quickly, and we sustained the rally as we went through the game. I thought that was really big for our club to do that. We kept the rally, trying to win the inning every inning."

Oklahoma broke a scoreless game with five runs in the third frame, taking advantage of four hits and three walks. Tredaway doubled home a run and Crooks brought home another on a sacrifice fly. Graham then singled in two runs and Zaragoza knocked an RBI base hit to right center field, giving OU a 5-0 lead.

Tredaway and Crooks drove back-to-back doubles to begin the fourth inning, and Hardman followed with his opposite-field two-run homer to extend the lead to 8-0.

The Sooners put up a six-spot in the fifth inning to make it 14-1. Crooks and Hardman swatted RBI singles, Squires hit a towering two-run triple off the right field wall, and Graham followed with a two-run homer to the scoreboard in left center field.

Carmichael stranded a leadoff runner in each of the first three innings, allowing only one of the runners to reach second base (a single and sacrifice bunt in the third inning). He retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the fourth, as he sat down seven batters in a row. Taggart came on with two outs in the fifth and a runner on third, and ended the inning with a strikeout, then retired the Jayhawks in order in the seventh to close out the game.

Kansas scored a run in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by shortstop Maui Ahuna, and then plated two runs in the sixth inning on a two-run triple by second baseman James Cosentino.

Oklahoma returns to action Tuesday and Wednesday against Texas Southern at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 4 p.m. Wednesday.