Oklahoma Baseball: Sooners beat Cal Poly, win opening series

Things started slowly for the Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) on another cold afternoon, but the bats heated up and lifted OU to a 9-3 win over Cal Poly (0-2).

In his first start of the season, junior Nathan Wiles earned the win while allowing three runs (two earned) on nine hits and a walk in 7.0 innings of work. Aaron Brooks and Zack Matthews each threw a shutout inning to close things out, continuing the OU bullpen’s solid start to the season.

After a slow day at the plate on Friday, nine different players recorded hits for the Sooners on Saturday, as sophomores Justin Mitchell and Jordan Vujovich led the way at the plate with two hits apiece. Mitchell recorded a double and an RBI triple while Vujovich — who came in to replace Tanner Tredaway — had an two-RBI single and a double in his first OU action.

Cal Poly got things going in their first frame at the plate, as Elijah Greene reached on a throwing error and was driven home by a Bradlee Beesley double on the next at-bat. OU loaded the bases in the bottom half with nobody out, but OU was unable to capitalize.

The Sooners were able to get things going in the second when Mitchell led things off with a double down the line in right. After Blake Brewster drew an HBP and Milan Walla bunted them over, Tredaway walked to load the bases once again. Tredaway was then put out at second on a fielder’s choice, but Zaragoza was able to beat the throw to avoid the double play and tie the game.

In the fourth, Cal Poly put Brewster and Walla in scoring position with a throwing error, and Tredaway was able to bring the former home with a sac fly. OU then added another when Zaragoza singled to center and played Walla.

With Walla and Tyler Hardman at first and second, respectively, Vujovich came to the plate in the fifth for his first at-bat of the season. The redshirt sophomore came through in a big way with an RBI single through the hole into right to make it 4-1.

Oklahoma broke it open in the bottom of the sixth with four runs on three hits, including an RBI triple down the right field line for Mitchell. Lindsly and Conor McKenna each recorded their first hits of the season in the inning, as well.

Cal Poly responded with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, but OU added one of their own in the bottom of the eighth when Walla drove Brewster from third home with a single.

OU and Cal Poly will be back in action Sunday at noon to close out the series. You can catch the game on KREF 1400 or watch the action with a premium subscription to SoonerSports.tv.