Oklahoma's offense was hurting coming into this weekend's series against New Orleans but Sunny Golloway seems to have found the cure. A couple of roster moves put power hitter Matt Oberste in the lead off spot and senior Jack Mayfield in the nine hole. The result has been 24 runs scored off 32 hits in two games with Oberste and Mayfield going a combined 8-for-18 with seven RBI.
Saturday's Big 12 Baseball Scores
Texas |
12 |
West Virginia |
0 |
Austin, Texas |
- |
|
Oklahoma |
14 |
New Orleans |
5 |
Norman, Okla. |
- |
|
Oklahoma State |
7 |
Kansas State |
6 |
Stillwater, Okla. |
- |
|
TCU |
2 |
Baylor |
1 |
Fort Worth, Texas |
15 INN |
|
Texas Tech |
|
Kansas |
|
Lubbock, Texas |
|
Neither Oberste or Mayfield was particularly struggling from the plate but both are thriving in their new spots. After leading the Sooners to a 10-0 victory in the series opener they helped Oklahoma to a season high 19 hits in Saturday's game two. OU scored runs in the first seven innings, initially establishing a 3-0 lead, on their way to a 14-5 win. Through the first two games you'd have to say that Mayfield's 6 RBIs have him as the series MVP.
Dillon Overton wasn't particularly strong in his start. Oklahoma's reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week allowed four runs off seven hits while also striking out seven batters. For the second game in a row, after establishing a comfortable lead, Golloway chose to pull the starter after the sixth inning and then went with three separate relief pitchers over the final three innings.
Adam Choplick was the first to come out of the bullpen to pitch a scoreless seventh. Billy Waltrip struck out two batters in the eighth but also gave up a run on a wild pitch. Robert Tasin closed out the game with a perfect ninth. Now attention is turned to tomorrow's starter which could be Ralph Garza Jr.
Through the first two games, this has been an encouraging series for the Sooners but you do have to consider the level of competition. These are games that they should be winning, and winning comfortably. There's satisfaction to be had in them doing what they're supposed to and the hope is that they're back on track after last week's slump.