NORMAN ? The Oklahoma baseball team scored seven runs in the middle innings and junior Nathan Wiles pitched seven strong frames as the Sooners clinched the season-opening series with a 9-3 win over Cal Poly Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.?
Wiles (1-0) limited the Mustangs to one unearned run and six hits through six innings, tossing five straight scoreless frames after allowing the run in the first. Sophomores Aaron Brooks and Zack Matthews followed Wiles with scoreless stanzas to close out the game.?
The Sooners (2-0) did most of the damage with a two-run fourth and a four-run sixth inning. The offensive output was a team effort. Nine different players collected a hit in the game, seven scored a run and eight players drove in at least one run. Sophomore designated hitter Jordan Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple and scored two runs. Junior outfielder Jordan Vujovich went 2-for-3 with an RBI in his first game at Oklahoma, and junior shortstop Brandon Zaragoza singled and drove in two runs.?
“Wiles really set the tone,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. “He made some big pitches early in the game, got in a rhythm and established a strike zone, and pounded the strike zone to give us a chance. I think he was throwing 66 pitches through six innings. It was really fantastic, especially being the first one (game). We took advantage of a couple of their mistakes early. We kept battling at the plate and got some big key situational hits when we had to and really separated the game."?
Oklahoma tied the game in the second when Mitchell doubled and scored on a fielder's choice by Zaragoza. The Sooners took the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by sophomore right fielder Tanner Tredaway and a base hit by Zaragoza. The home team added to the lead in the fifth with a base hit through the right side by Vujovich that scored sophomore first baseman Tyler Hardman.?
In the four-run sixth inning, junior catcher Brady Lindsly doubled down the left field line to plate senior third baseman Brylie Ware. Junior second baseman Conor McKenna then singled home Lindsly. Mitchell hustled a one-out triple down the line in right and scored on a groundout by senior outfielder Blake Brewster. Brewster hit a two-out double in the eighth inning and crossed the plate when freshman center fielder Milan Walla lined a single into left field.?
The Mustangs (0-2) took advantage of an errant throw in the first inning and scored on a double by center fielder Bradlee Beesley. In the seventh, Beesley hit a two-run single to right with runners on second and third. Cal Poly reliever Dylan Villalobos (0-1) allowed two runs in 2.2 innings and took the loss.?
Oklahoma and Cal Poly close out the series at noon Sunday at L. Dale Mitchell Park
