Crimson And Cream Machine - Weekend College Baseball Thread | Kansas State Wildcats At Oklahoma SoonersA Site For Sooner Fans By Sooner Fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48625/crimsonandcream_fave.png2014-03-22T19:28:50-05:00http://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/rss/stream/52996232014-03-22T19:28:50-05:002014-03-22T19:28:50-05:00Another Grand Slam Leads Sooners To Victory
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bringonthecats.com/">Kansas State Wildcats</a> are quickly learning just how potent Oklahoma's batting lineup can be. On Friday sophomore Hunter Haley became the first Sooner baseball player to hit a grand slam home run since the 2011 season. On Saturday junior Mac James followed suit with a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th inning to turn a close 3-2 game into an 11-2 rout.</p>
<p>For the second day in a row the Wildcats jumped on Oklahoma in the first inning and took a 2-0 lead all the way into the bottom of the fourth inning when Sheldon Neuse scored on an Austin O'Brien sacrifice. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/">Sooners</a> would add single runs in the fifth and again in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. Then Oklahoma exploded for an eight run eighth, highlighted by Mac James' grand slam, inning to blow the game open for the second day in a row.</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Final: No. 30 Oklahoma 11, Kansas State 4. Sooners score 11 for second straight game. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BoomerSooner&src=hash">#BoomerSooner</a> <a href="http://t.co/UmnmIMOmqI">pic.twitter.com/UmnmIMOmqI</a></p>
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/OU_Baseball/statuses/447479244088549376">March 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Nine batters recorded hits for the Sooners on Friday with five of them recording multiple hits, highlighted by Hector Lorenzana who went 3-for-4 for from the plate.</p>
<p>Starter Adam Choplick went 6.1 innings, striking out four, and was responsible for the Wildcats two runs. Kindle Ladd picked up the win, his first of the season, by facing three batters and pitching just one third of an inning. Ralph Garza, Jr and Drew Krittenbrink each pitched a perfect inning for the Sooners as well.</p>
<p>Saturday's win secured the series victory over the Wildcats and puts them in position to go for the sweep on Sunday. First pitch in Sunday's game is scheduled for 1:00 in the afternoon.</p>
https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/2014/3/22/5537748/oklahoma-sooners-baseball-hammers-kansas-state-second-day-in-a-rowM. Hofeld2014-03-22T00:24:53-05:002014-03-22T00:24:53-05:00Grand Slam Leads to 11-4 OU Win
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<p>The two best hitting teams in the Big 12 squared off Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park and one of them didn't disappoint. Kansas State jumped up on the <a href="https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Sooners</a> 2-0 in the first when Tanner DeVinny singled up the middle to score Austin Fisher and Shane Conlon.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Friday's Big XII Baseball Scores</u></b></p>
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<p align="center">North Carolina-Wilmington</p>
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<p align="center">1</p>
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<p align="center">West Virginia</p>
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<p align="center">2</p>
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<p align="center">Kansas</p>
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<p align="center">13</p>
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<p align="center">Dartmouth</p>
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<p align="center">5</p>
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<p align="center">Texas</p>
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<p align="center">7</p>
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<p align="center">Columbia</p>
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<p align="center">3</p>
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<p align="center">Oklahoma</p>
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<p align="center">11</p>
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<p align="center">Kansas State</p>
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<p align="center">4</p>
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<p align="center">Baylor</p>
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<p align="center">4</p>
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<p align="center">Oklahoma State</p>
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<p align="center">1</p>
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<p align="center">TCU</p>
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<p align="center">9</p>
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<p align="center">Texas Tech</p>
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<p align="center">0</p>
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<p>Oklahoma got on the board in the bottom of the second when Hector Lorenzana knocked in Anthony Hermelyn on a single to left field. The Wildcats got a run back though, in the top of the third, and maintained a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. That's when the Sooners put together their most productive inning of the season.</p>
<p>OU put brought in eight runs off seven hits in the inning to take a commanding lead and would never look back from there. Hunter Haley would bat twice in the inning with his second plate appearance resulting in a grand slam home run. It was the first time an Oklahoma batter has hit a grand slam since Ricky Eisenburg achieved the feat against Kansas on May 8th, 2011. Haley finished the game 2-for-5 from the plate, with two runs scored and four runs batted in.</p>
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<p>Final: No. 30 Oklahoma 11, Kansas State 4. Sooners open Big 12 with a big win. <a href="http://t.co/yKsMJJ2bZl">pic.twitter.com/yKsMJJ2bZl</a></p>
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/OU_Baseball/statuses/447191460186574848">March 22, 2014</a>
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<p>After the Wildcats scored a run in the top of the eighth inning, Oklahoma quickly eradicated any hopes of a KSU comeback by posting two more runs in the bottom half to extend their lead to the final score of 11-4. Oklahoma's 11 runs came on 18 hits with seven of OU's nine batters recording multiple hits in the game.</p>
<p>Oklahoma starter Corey Copping lasted 4.2 innings but was on the hook for three of Kansas State's four runs. He gave up seven hits, walked two, and struck out four against the statically best hitting offense in the conference. Jacob Evans was the first reliever to come out of the bullpen and earned the win by tossing three full innings. He allowed just one run, off a single hit, and struck out two. Kindle Ladd pitched just a third of an inning before Kyle Hayes tossed a perfect ninth.</p>
<p>The two teams will go at it again on Saturday at 1:00</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Three Strikes</u></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">* Oklahoma now has the highest team batting average in the Big 12 at .308 on the season</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">* Mac James has the highest individual batting average in the Big 12 at .444</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">* Sheldon Neuse, Hunter Haley, and Mac James are the top three in the Big 12 in total bases</p>
https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/2014/3/22/5535612/oklahoma-sooners-baseball-blast-past-kansas-state-in-big-twelve-openerM. Hofeld2014-03-21T00:32:07-05:002014-03-21T00:32:07-05:00Wildcats At Oklahoma Baseball Preview
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<p>It didn't take long for Kansas State to turn their season around! After getting off to a very slow 1-7 start the preseason favorites to win the conference will come to Norman riding a twelve-game winning streak.</p>
<p>Boasting a Big XII best .304 batting average the Wildcats have boosted their season record with timely hitting and strong base running. Kansas State also has the highest on base percentage in the conference at .411 on the year.</p>
<p>The Wildcats are a blue collar team that works hard to get where they are. You won't find a bunch of power hitters on this team (only three players have hit home runs this year) but what you will find is eight guys batting .300 or better. Junior Austin Fisher leads the way for KSU with a .387 batting average, two home runs, and 14 RBI. Mitch Meyer, also a junior, leads the team in total RBIs on the year with 18. He also has two home runs and is batting .327 for the season. Senior Ross Kivett is the other K-State player to have hit a home run this season. He's batting .329 and has knocked in 13 RBI this year.</p>
<p>Right on the heels of the Wildcats are the Sooners who are batting .301 on the year as a team. Mac James has a Big Twelve best .442 batting average and has knocked in 18 RBI while crossing home plate 18 times himself. James also leads the conference in total hits with 34 on the year. Hunter Haley leads the conference in runs scored (24) and his four home runs are the most on the team. The Sooners also boast three of the top four in the conference in total bases with freshman Sheldon Neuse (50), James (49), and Haley (48). Four Sooners are currently batting .300 or better.</p>
<p>Up against these two lineups will be the pitching staffs of the two schools. Kansas State is seventh in the Big XII with a team ERA of 3.46 while the Sooners are fifth at 3.38. Coach Hughes will keep to his normal weekend rotation of Corey Copping, Adam Choplick, and Jake Elliott. The Wildcats have yet to announce a Sunday starter but will go with Levi MaVorhis and Jared Moore on Friday and Saturday.</p>
<p>While it is only the first weekend of conference play, this series could easily set the tone for the remainder of the year for both squads. The Wildcats want to keep rolling on their winning streak while the Sooners are looking to overcome an atrocious Wednesday night outing in which they lost 11-2 to Arkansas-Little Rock.</p>
https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/2014/3/21/5532120/oklahoma-sooners-college-baseball-preview-big-twelves-two-best-offenses-go-head-toM. Hofeld