The Sooners and Jayhawks are two of the top three hitting teams in the Big Twelve but based on their performances on Friday night you would think that they were also two of the top pitching teams. What was thought to be a game chalked full of offense turned into a pitcher's duel with the game going scoreless through the first six innings.
The Jayhawks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Ka'iana Eldredge scored on a two-out double by Aaron Hernandez. While Kansas would threaten again in the eighth and ninth innings it would be the only run they'd be able to muster against a stellar pitching performance that held the Big XII's top hitting team to just five hits for the game.
Oklahoma started their rally in the top of the eighth when a bases-loaded walk scored Hunter Haley and ended a scoring drought for the Sooners that lasted 25-innings and dated back to last Saturday's game against Kansas State.
With the game tied at 1-1, in the top of the 9th, freshman Sheldon Neuse knocked in Craig Aikin on a two-out single up the middle to put Oklahoma ahead for good by the final score of 2-1. Neuse was the only Sooner player to record multiple hits in the game by going 2-of-4 from the plate. Aikin, Haley, Mac James and Hector Lorenzana also recorded a hit for Oklahoma.
At the end of the day, a win is a win. And that's all that matters #WinTheSeries
— anthony hermelyn (@anthonyhermelyn) March 29, 2014
Oklahoma starter Corey Copping lasted 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs, before giving way to Kindle Ladd who went 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and the only Kansas run of the night. Jacob Evans and Ralph Garza, Jr. combined to hold the Jayhawks scoreless over the final two innings, with Garza taking 1.2 of the two innings.
The Sooners only managed six hits themselves and, like Kansas, left eleven runners stranded. The win pushed Oklahoma's season record to 19-8 and temporarily puts them in sole possession of second place in the Big Twelve, with the Jayhawks now moving a game behind into third place.
Both teams will go back at it again on Saturday afternoon at 2:00.