MINNEAPOLIS – Brady Harlan hit a three-run home run to give the Oklahoma baseball team the lead in the fifth inning and the Sooners closed out a series victory at Minnesota with a 5-2 win Sunday afternoon at Siebert Field.
The big hit was Harlan's first collegiate home run and put Oklahoma (27-14) ahead 3-2. Catcher Brady Lindsly provided the other two RBIs, driving home third baseman Brylie Ware twice, with a double in the sixth and a groundout in the eighth. The Golden Gophers (17-20) scored single runs in the first and second innings, but OU pitchers tossed seven straight shutout frames.
Starter Levi Prater improved to 6-3 with 6.2 innings in which he struck out five batters and allowed two runs on five hits. Jaret Godman tossed 1.1 innings of relief and Jason Ruffcorn pitched the ninth and earned his 10th save of the season. Minnesota starter Joshua Culliver struck out seven and allowed four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings, falling to 2-3 in the loss.
“On the road in a hostile environment, it's always good to get the series win on Sunday,” Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. “When (Prater) has the intent of throwing the ball to the target instead of trying to get the hitter out, he's a totally different animal.”
Oklahoma took a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning on Harlan's three-run home run. In the sixth, Ware doubled right field with one out and scored on Lindsly's two-out double to right. Lindsly drove home Ware again in the eighth with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-2.
Minnesota scored in the first inning on a pair of doubles, including an RBI hit by center fielder Ben Mezzenga. Left fielder Riley Smith drove in a run in the second with an RBI groundout.
The Sooners play a midweek contest at Wichita State Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
