OU Baseball Notebook March 1

Overall Record: 5-2

LAST WEEK RESULTS: 3-1
W 6-2 home vs. Wichita State (Norman, Okla.)
L 2-4 neutral vs. Northwestern State (Arlington, Texas)
W 2-1 neutral vs. Northwestern State (Arlington, Texas)
W, 5-1 neutral vs. Northwestern State (Arlington, Texas)

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK:
Friday, March 4 vs. LSU – 3 p.m. (Houston, Texas) – AT&T SportsNet/Astros.com
Saturday, March 5 vs. UCLA – 11 a.m. (Houston, Texas) – AT&T SportsNet/Astros.com
Sunday, March 6 vs. Tennessee – 11 a.m. (Houston, Texas) – AT&T SportsNet/Astros.com

KEY NOTES OF THE WEEK:

Chazz Martinez fanned 14 batters over 7.0 innings, while allowing only three hits and one walk, in OU's series-clinching 5-1 victory over Northwestern State on Sunday. As a result, he was named the the National Pitcher of the Week by the NCBWA, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and a national player of the week by Collegiate Baseball.
Across the second and third innings in his outing, Martinez struck out six consecutive batters, then later retired nine in a row. The 14 strikeouts were the most by an OU pitcher since Levi Prater had 15 against Missouri State in 2019. It was also the first time a Sooner pitcher struck out six consecutive batters since Jake Irvin against Oklahoma State in 2018.
Jake Bennett was phenomenal on Friday, striking out 11 batters over 6.1 shutout innings. He carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but promptly followed with his ninth strikeout of the day. He allowed only two hits and one walk. Through 11.1 innings over his first two starts, Bennett has allowed no runs, two hits, three walks and a .083 opponent batting average.
David Sandlin continued the stellar starting pitching on Saturday, striking out eight batters over 6.0 frames and allowing one run. Aside from one five-run, six-hit third inning against Arizona opening weekend, he has allowed seven hits, two runs, one walk and has notched all 12 strikeouts in 9.1 innings.
Jackson Nicklaus had a weekend to remember in Arlington. The true freshman second baseman, who made his first career start last Tuesday against Wichita State, registered his first three career hits, including a two-run home run to start the scoring Sunday night. His first hit was a bunt single on Saturday night, and he followed with a double later in the game.
Peyton Graham hit his second home run of the season, and second at Globe Life Field, on Sunday. The shortstop, who gave OU a seventh-inning lead over Auburn with his two-run shot on opening day, smashed a solo shot to left field on the first pitch of the fifth inning to extend the Sooners' lead to 4-0.
Back to the mound, grad transfer Trevin Michael had a standout week as well. He recorded two saves in two extended appearances, his first as a Sooner. The Piedmont, Okla., product tossed a total of 6.1 innings, striking out nine batters and allowing just two hits and three walks. He pitched 4.0 scoreless frames in OU's 6-1 win over Wichita State and the final 2.1 innings in Saturday's victory over Northwestern State.
Braden Carmichael earned the win over Wichita State, pitching 5.0 innings in which he scattered six hits and struck out four.
In four games last week, OU's starting pitchers combined for 24.1 innings, 37 strikeouts, 16 hits, two runs and four walks allowed. The three weekend starts combined for 33 strikeouts and 10 hits allowed in 19.1 frames. As a staff, the Sooners registered 40 strikeouts vs. Northwestern State.
Oklahoma continued to run on the basepaths, notching five steals over the weekend, on top of the 11 stolen bases recorded on Tuesday against Wichita State. The Sooners, which finished the 2021 season with 46 steals, have 22 steals through seven games.
Kendall Pettis, who led OU with seven steals last season, already has a team-high six stolen bases. Tanner Tredaway (six steals last year) and Blake Robertson have four steals and Peyton Graham has three.
Pledged contributions for every home run that OU hits this season will go towards the stadium renovation project. For more information or to make a pledge, visit TheSoonerClub.com/LaunchPad.

Players Mentioned

Jake Bennett

Braden Carmichael

Peyton Graham

Chazz Martinez

Trevin Michael

Jackson Nicklaus

Kendall Pettis

Blake Robertson

David Sandlin

Tanner Tredaway

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