NORMAN – Oklahoma took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth inning and the OU bullpen pitched 4.2 shutout frames as the Sooners opened the 2019 season with a 4-1 win over Cal Poly Friday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
Freshman Jaret Godman (1-0) earned the victory with 2.2 scoreless innings in relief. He struck out two batters and allowed a walk and one hit. Sophomore starter Cade Cavalli struck out three batters and scattered six hits and a run across 4.1 innings. Freshman Wyatt Olds and junior transfer Jason Ruffcorn closed out the game with one scoreless inning apiece as Ruffcorn earned the save.
Senior third baseman Brylie Ware went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored a run, and junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza singled and scored twice. The duo combined for 11 fielding assists, including a pair of diving stops and a bare-handed fielding play by Ware to nab runners at first base. Zaragoza took a grounder to second himself and turned a 6-3 double play to end the sixth inning.
“It was a tough environment to play in,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said of the weather, which was 30 degrees with a 20 mph northwest wind at first pitch. “I was really proud that they came out and executed, and I was really proud of our defense. In the middle of the order Z (Zaragoza) leads off and we start having some quality at bats. Then for the rest of the game we really had some quality at bats. With the pressure situation in a tough environment to play in with the weather the way it was, I was really proud of those guys for doing that.”
The Sooners (1-0) struck first when Ware dropped a base hit into right field in the third inning, scoring freshman center fielder Milan Walla from second. Walla lined a single into center field in his first collegiate at bat.
After the Mustangs (0-1) tied the score 1-1 on an infield single deep in the hole at short by first baseman Tate Samuelson, OU took the lead back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Sooners plated the two runs without a hit, but with two walks, a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. Zaragoza led off with a walk and scored on a wild pitch. Ware, who was hit by a pitch, scored on the sac fly by sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman.
Zaragoza started the eighth inning with a base hit to center and scored on a passed ball after a pair of walks loaded the bases to extend the lead to 4-1.
Cal Poly starter Jarred Zill (0-1) allowed three runs and struck out seven in 5.1 innings in the loss.
The Sooners and Mustangs continue the series at 2 p.m. Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
