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Bedlam Baseball | The Struggling Sooners Take On The Surging Cowboys

Rich DeCray
Oklahoma (27-25, 7-14) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma State (39-13, 16-5)
Location: Thursday:
Oklahoma City - Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (9,000)
Friday-Saturday:
Tulsa - ONEOK Field (7,333)
Radio: KREF 1400 AM/98.5 FM
Toby Rowland | Chris Plank
TV: Thursday:
FOX College Sports-Central
Chad McKee | Jay Payton

Pitching Match-Ups
7:00 PM Thursday: LHP-Jacob Evans (So., 3-4, 5.70)
RHP-Jon Perrin (Jr., 6-3, 1.75)
7:00 PM Friday: RHP-Jake Elliott (Fr., 2-3, 3.27)
RHP-Tyler Buffett (Fr., 2-1, 2.70)
7:00 PM Saturday: RHP-Kindle Ladd (Sr., 3-3, 4.65)
TBD


In the final regular season series, the Oklahoma Sooners will square off with their in state rival, the Oklahoma St. Cowboys. With the post season just around the corner, Pete Hughes and his ball club look for a spring board to propel them into the conference tournament. Needless to say, that is a tough task as the Cowboys are on a 10 game winning streak and sport a 39-13 overall record.

The two teams have met twice this season in non-conference battles. In the first meeting on April 1st of this year, Oklahoma St. held their rival to a mere 2 hits and 1 run allowing them to escape with a win in Norman. However, when the two met in Stillwater, the Sooners repaid OSU with a win in 18 innings. Now the pressure is back on OU who has not won back-to-back games against Oklahoma St. since the 2010-11 season.

Leading the way for OSU is Gage Green who carries with him 15 stolen bases to compliment his .330 batting average. DH, Zach Fish has a helping hand in getting the offense get going. Behind a team leading 10 homeruns, Fish has batted in 38 runs while averaging .323 from the plate.

To counter the efforts of these two sluggers, Oklahoma plans to use a rotation of pitchers with a combined 5.17 ERA against Big XII opponents. Friday's starter, Jake Elliot has made three appearances against conference foes on the season (all three are starts) while the other two, Jacob Evans and Kindle Ladd are more experienced with 11 appearances and 10 appearances against conference foes respectively.

Offensively for the Sooners, Craig Aikin has come alive sporting a .354 batting average while playing in conference. Yet, it is Mac James who continues to lead OU with a .347 batting average over the course of the season. Behind him, Hunter Haley has returned to form as of late. Currently, Haley is second on the team in batting average at .303.

From the mound, the Cowboys possess a combined 3.21 ERA holding opponents to a .244 batting average. That is not say hits are hard to come by. Tonight, Jon Perrin who currenrtly ranks 4th in the Big XII with a 1.75 ERA, is scheduled to throw.