OU-Texas features twinbill today

NORMAN — No. 18 Oklahoma extended its win streak to nine games and conference win streak to seven by beating Texas 6-2 in Game 1 of the three-game set in Norman on Friday night.

With the treat of severe weather, Sunday’s schedule will now feature a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. CT.

Saturday’s game (originally scheduled for 4 p.m.) will be played as the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Game 3 will start approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of Sunday’s 1 p.m. contest.

Fans who purchased tickets for Saturday’s originally scheduled game can use them for the first game of the Sunday doubleheader, with stadium gates opening at 11 a.m.

The series began Friday In front of a single-game L. Dale Mitchell Park record 4,812 fans, as the Sooners (26-14, 15-4) fired on all cylinders in a 9-4 win. OU hit a pair of home runs while the defense played an error-free game and the pitching staff struck out a combined 13 batters.

OU starting LHP Braden Davis was exceptional yet again, hurling six inning while surrendering just one run on seven hits with three walks and nine strikeouts.

Following a scoreless first, the Sooners jumped on top at the bottom of the second with three runs on one hit and a trio of Longhorn errors, three of the season-high five miscues they made on the night. After senior Anthony Mackenzie reached on a dropped third strike and junior Jackson Nicklaus reached on an error, senior Kendall Pettis singled home Mackenzie for his first RBI of the night. The next at-bat, junior Scott Mudler ripped a ball to center that the UT centerfielder dropped, allowing Nicklaus to score. An RBI groundout from junior John Spikerman closed the scoring.

After Davis stranded a pair of Longhorns at the top of the third, the Sooners added one in the home half via Pettis’ second RBI single of the night.

Texas got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single from Jalin Flores to break up OU’s shutout bid. Davis bounced back with the help of freshman Jaxon Willits, who fielded a grounder and stepped on second before catching a UT runner in a pickle for a double play.

Willits continued his hot play on the night with a leadoff home run to dead center in the sixth. It was the frosh’s sixth homer of the season, with all six coming in the last 12 games. The solo shot made it 5-1 OU after six.

After Texas (25-18, 11-8) got one back at the top of the seventh on a single, OU responded with three runs on three hits in the bottom half. Mackenzie led off the frame with his fifth home run of the season to right field. Willits would single home Pettis later in the inning before Spikerman brought home Mudler on a fielder’s choice to make it 8-2 through seven.

At the top of the eighth, a two run home run from Texas’ Jared Thomas pulled the Horns within four. OU would once again answer with a run in the home half, courtesy of a double steal. After a walk to senior Michael Snyder who then stole second and third, Mackenzie was walked to put runners on the corners. The Sooners then executed the double steal to perfection with Snyder scoring from third and Mackenzie taking second, beating the throw. The run would bring the final to 9-4, Sooners.

Davis (W, 5-3) earned the win, while relievers Carter Campbell (0.2 IP), Carson Atwood (0.2), Jett Lodes (0.2) and Malachi Witherspoon (1.0) combined to finish the contest with Lodes fanning one and Witherspoon striking out the side in the ninth. The OU arms combined for double-digit strikeouts for the 21st time in OU’s 40 games.

At the plate, Willits, Pettis, Mackenzie and sophomore Easton Carmichael all registered two-hit days with Willits, Pettis and Spikerman all plating a pair. Snyder drew one walk and stole a career-best three bags to up his season total to nine.

Cowboys sweep Cougars

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State completed a series sweep of BYU by winning both games of a doubleheader Friday at O’Brate Stadium as the 19th-ranked Cowboys took the opener, 11-5, before picking up a 12-5 victory in the nightcap.

In extending their winning streak to five games, tying for their longest of the season, the Pokes improved to 30-14 and 14-7 in the Big 12, while BYU fell to 16-24 and 6-18 in the league. Up next, OSU takes on Wichita State for the third time this season Tuesday at O’Brate Stadium with a first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.

OSU smashed seven home runs on the day, bringing their total in the series to 13, and also recorded 29 strikeouts on the mound as the pitching staff posted 45 punchouts in the three games against the Cougars.

In the opener, Sam Garcia, Tommy Molsky and Gabe Davis combined for 16 strikeouts in the contest, the fourth time they have reached that mark in a game this season.

Molsky picked up the win, improving to 6-1 on the season, as the right-hander worked 2 2/3 innings, with four strikeouts, allowing two runs on two hits in relief of Garcia, who started and struck out seven over three innings.

Davis shut out the visitors over the final 3 1/3 innings to earn his third save; the righty picked up five strikeouts and allowed only one hit.

Offensively, OSU went deep five times in game one. Nolan Schubart and Zach Ehrhard both homered and drove in two runs, while Ian Daugherty continued swinging a hot bat with three hits and a pair of RBIs.

Davis struck out the side in the eighth to keep a four-run advantage, and Benge and Schubart delivered back-to-back homers in the bottom of the frame to ice the game at 11-5.

In the nightcap, Brian Holiday picked up the win, improving to 4-3. The junior worked 7 1/3 innings and struck out 10, marking the third time the right-hander has reached double digit strikeouts a game this season.

Benge hit his fourth home run of the series in the nightcap, while Ehrhard also went deep and added four RBIs.

The Cowboys opened the scoring in the first as Schubart doubled for his eighth RBI of the series, and Ritchie followed up with a single to left field bringing Schubart home.

BYU added three runs in the second scoring on a fielder’s choice, followed by a two-run shot to center field.

But a four-run rally in the second gave OSU a lead it never surrendered. Ehrhard delivered his 10th homer of the season on a two-out shot to left center that brought in three runs, Benge stepped up next and cranked his 11th homer of the season and fourth of the series.

Holiday picked up seven strikeouts over the next three innings, keeping the momentum with the Pokes.

In the fifth, a leadoff walk and a double from Ortiz set up Colin Brueggemann for another two-RBI single for the Cowboys, creating an 8-3 game.

The offense continued in the sixth, with two walks leading to Ehrhard’s fourth RBI of the night on a double. Benge followed it up with a single to bring home another run, and the OSU lead reached nine with Ritchie picking up an RBI on a hit by pitch and Brueggemann drawing an RBI walk.

OSU started the series with a 17-5 win over BYU in the series opener Thursday night at O’Brate Stadium.

OSU smashed a season-high six home runs in the contest, with Carson Benge and Nolan Schubart each going deep twice and Ian Daugherty and Avery Ortiz also homering.

Schubart had season-highs with four hits and five RBIs, while Benge was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs. Daugherty set a career high with five RBIs.

Benge also picked up the win on the mound in his first start of the season, improving to 1-1; the right-hander worked five innings, striking out six while allowing just one run on three hits.

Ryan Bogusz was strong out of the bullpen as he struck out a season high six and allowed only one run on one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings.