OU Baseball: Sooners Sweep, Win Streak at Six in a Row

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The University of Oklahoma baseball team swept a Saturday doubleheader with CSU Bakersfield by scores of 10-7 and 13-0 at Hardt Field. The Sooners, who went 5-0 on the week in California, swept the four-game series to improve to 11-9-1 overall and run their win streak to six games.

Oklahoma’s offense totaled 31 hits on the day as it picked up its first series win of the season and swept a doubleheader for the first time in three tries this year. Junior shortstop Sheldon Neuse (Fort Worth, Texas) dominated at the plate for the Sooners. He went 7-for-11 on the day with a three-hit effort in game one and four-hit game in the nightcap. He also scored three times and drove in three runs, while tallying a double and a triple.

Junior first baseman and designated hitter Austin O’Brien (Owasso, Okla.) continued his hot streak with a 5-for-8 afternoon. O’Brien collected three hits in the opener and added a 2-for-3, four-RBI game with a solo shot over the scoreboard in left field as he totaled six RBI in the doubleheader.

Freshman right-hander Chris Andritsos (The Woodlands, Texas) was dominant in game two for Oklahoma. He tossed six-scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. Andritsos (3-1) struck out two in the effort without allowing a walk.

In support of Andritsos, the Sooners plated two runs in the second and one in the third. O’Brien started the scoring in the fourth with his home run coming with one down. A two-out rally then began with a walk to junior catcher Renae Martinez (San Pedro, Calif.) and a single to right by freshman third baseman Cade Harris (Leona, Texas). Senior left fielder Hunter Haley (Nacogdoches, Texas) extended the OU lead with a RBI-single and Neuse followed with one of his own to cap off a three-run inning.

Senior right fielder Alex Wise (Neosho, Mo.) hit a leadoff-double in the fifth and scored on a sacrifice-fly from O’Brien. The Sooners put the game out of reach with a six-spot on the scoreboard in the seventh. Oklahoma would bat around in the inning as O’Brien had the big knock; a two-run, bases loaded-single.

Game one when back and forth through the first six innings. The Sooners took their first lead with four runs in the second, including a two-run triple from freshman catcher Domenic DeRenzo (Pittsburgh, Pa.). In the third, Wise reached on a bunt-single to lead off and scored on a base hit up the middle by O’Brien, his second RBI-single of the game.

Leading 5-1, junior right-hander Jake Elliott (Coppell, Texas) ran into trouble in the third. He allowed a double to shortstop Mahlik Jones, who went 4-for-4 in the game, and a RBI-triple to second baseman David Metzgar. First baseman Max Carter singled home Metzgar to trim the OU lead to two runs.

Against freshman right-hander Jake Irvin (Bloomington, Minn.), the Roadrunners took the lead back with a three-run inning on two hits, including a RBI-single for Metzgar.

O’Brien led off the sixth, was sacrificed into scoring position and scored on a base hit up the middle from Haley to tie the game, 6-6. Neuse then doubled to center to score Harris, who had walked, and give Oklahoma a 7-6 lead.

Senior lefty Shawn Hunter (Fort Supply, Okla.) allowed a leadoff-single in the bottom of the sixth and left the game with a runner at second and two down. CSUB got the tying run on a single to right from DH Cody White off of freshman right-hander Austin Hansen (Lenexa, Kan.).

After a scoreless-seventh, the Sooners finally pulled away in the eighth with a two-out, three-run rally. Back-to-back walks put two aboard for Neuse, who drove in the eventual game-winning run with a single up the middle. Junior Jack Flansburg (Orange, Calif.) followed with a base hit to right that scored two.

Hansen (4-0) got the win in 1.1 innings of relief. Junior right-hander JB Olson (Shady Shores, Texas) pitched a clean eighth and ninth to record his third save of the season.

The Sooners return to Oklahoma for a road game at Oral Roberts on Tuesday night at 6:30 pm.

Game Notes:

The Sooners improved to 7-0 in the all-time series with CSU Bakersfield.

Alex Wise recorded his eighth multi-hit game of the season and 11th of his career in game one.

Wise extended his reached base streak to 19 games and his hit streak to 10.

Jack Flansburg moved his reached base streak to 12 games and hit streak to nine.

Sheldon Neuse picked up two multi-hit games, including his second four-hit game of the year and fifth of his career, for the 48th of his career.

Neuse tripled for the third time this season and 13th in his career to tie him for ninth all-time at OU with Derek Wathan (1996-98) and Jim Richardson (1985-86).

Austin O’Brien hit his first home run of the season and sixth of his career.

O’Brien collected the fourth three-hit game of his career in the opener and matched a career-high with four RBI in game two.

The Sooners registered their second shutout of the season and held the Roadrunners to two hits; the second lowest total allowed by OU pitchers this season.

Oklahoma scored in double digits twice to push its season total to four 10-plus runs. The Sooners tallied a season-high 16 hits in game two.

A six-run seventh in game two matched a season-high for OU set against Northeastern (2/21/16).

The Sooners started three or more freshmen in each game and have done so in 11 games in a row and 12 this season.

Game One

Oklahoma 10, CSU Bakersfield 7 (Mar 19, 2016 at Bakersfield, CA) (Game 1)

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Oklahoma............ 041 002 030  - 10 15  0      (10-9-1)

CSU Bakersfield..... 102 301 000  -  7 11  1      (5-13)

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Pitchers: Oklahoma - Elliott, Jake; Irvin, Jake(3); Hunter, Shawn(4); Hansen, Austin(6);

Olson, JB(8) and DeRenzo, Domenic. CSU Bakersfield - Gusbeth; Coats(5); Luna(7); Franco(8); Mahlik Jones(9) and Ortega; Adkins.

Win-Hansen, Austin(4-0)  Save-Olson, JB(3)  Loss-Luna(0-1)  T-3:06  A-0

Weather: 72, Sunny at First Pitch

Game Two

Oklahoma 13, CSU Bakersfield 0 (Mar 19, 2016 at Bakersfield, CA) (Game 2)

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Oklahoma............ 021 310 600  - 13 16  0      (11-9-1)

CSU Bakersfield..... 000 000 000  -  0  2  4      (5-14)

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Pitchers: Oklahoma - Andritsos, Chris; Grove, Dylan(7); Saenz, Kenny(8); Daniele, Alex(9) and Martinez, Renae; Wagoner, Chandler. CSU Bakersfield - Monarrez; White(6); Moten(7); Miller(8); Veiga(9) and Ortega; Adkins; Felix.

Win-Andritsos, Chris(3-1)  Loss-Monarrez(1-2)  T-2:33  A-703

HR OU - O'Brien, Austin (1).

Weather: 80, Sunny at first pitch

White faced 5 batters in the 7th.