Big XII Baseball Notes | Sooners Down Jayhawks | Mountaineers Take First

Congratulations to the West Virginia Mountaineers for moving into first place in the Big Twelve Conference baseball standings over the weekend…well sort of. Fact is, the Mountaineers are in first after taking Baylor in what turned out to be just a two-game series over the weekend but at just 2-0 in conference play you can’t help look at that mark without a bit of skepticism. This is the same West Virginia team that went 1-2 against North-Carolina Wilmington last weekend. The two losses dropped Baylor to third place in the conference at 4-4.

Oklahoma and Kansas were tied for second place in the Big Twelve going into the weekend but the Sooners stand alone in second place now after taking two of three games in Lawrence. The Jayhawks dropped down into a three-way tie with Texas and Oklahoma State for fourth place.

Pitching was the key to Oklahoma’s successful weekend as the OU staff held the Jayhawks to six total runs in the three-game series. Kansas went into the weekend as the top batting team in the conference and finished a notch lower as their season percentage dropped below .300 on the year.

Also dropping this weekend was Oklahoma’s team ERA which fell to 3.16, placing them as the fourth lowest in the Big Twelve. “Our pitching staff has been unbelievably reliable and the saving grace for this team, for the season and for this weekend,” Oklahoma Coach Pete Hughes said after Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Jayhawks.

	Big 12	Pct	Streak	Overall	Pct	Streak
West Virginia	2-0	1.000	W2	15-8	.652	W3
Oklahoma	4-2	.667	L1	20-9	.681	L1
Baylor	4-4	.500	L3	13-13	.500	L4
Texas	3-3	.500	W1	22-7	.759	W1
Oklahoma State	3-3	.500	W2	19-9	.679	W2
Kansas	3-3	.500	W1	18-10	.643	W1
Texas Tech	4-5	.444	L1	22-9	.701	L1
TCU	2-4	.333	L2	15-12	.556	L2
Kansas State	1-2	.333	W1	17-10	.621	W2

The Texas Longhorns took two of three games from Texas Tech, in Lubbock, over the weekend with the Red Raiders getting their lone win on Saturday. The series loss dropped Tech to below .500 in conference play.

Joining the Red Raiders with a sub .500 record in conference is TCU who lost the final two games of their series against Oklahoma State after winning the opener Friday night in Stillwater.

In the weekend series that featured a non-conference opponent, Kansas State bounced back, after dropping the opener, to take two of three games from Creighton in Omaha.

Conference Leaders

* The Sooners dropped from the top spot to number three in the Big Twelve in team batting. The Kansas State Wildcats have taken over as the top hitting team in the conference with a collective batting average of .305 on the year. Kansas State is currently the only team in the conference averaging over .300 collectively.

* The Texas Longhorns still hold the top spot in team pitching with a combined ERA of 1.98 on the season. The Longhorns’ Nathan Thornhill saw his ERA dip all the way down to 0.88 on the year.

* Oklahoma’s Mac James still sits atop the rankings for individual batting but he now shares the spot with Mark Payton, of Texas, as the two have an equal .402 average on the year.

* James and Payton also share the lead for most hits in the conference with 41 each. Payton has a Big Twelve best on base percentage at .516 on the year.

* West Virginia’s Ryan McBroom .622 slugging percentage which is far and away the best in the conference.

* Oklahoma’s Hunter Haley and Kansas State’s Ross Kivett have each scored 29 runs this season, allowing them to share the Big Twelve’s top spot in that category.

* Connor McKay, of Kansas, has 34 RBI on the year which is the most in the conference.

* The Sooners trio of Hunter Haley, Mac James, and Sheldon Neuse are still the top three in the Big Twelve in total bases.

* The Longhorns’ Marlow Brooks has drawn the most walks in the conference with 25. He surpassed Texas Tech’s Lawton Langford who was in the top spot last week and currently has 24 on the season.

* Five pitchers are tied for the most wins in the conference (5) and eight are tied for the second most (4).

* TCU’s Brandon Finnegan is averaging 12.97 strikeouts per game and has fanned a total of 73 batters this season.

* Oklahoma’s Ralph Garza, Jr. has made a Big Twelve best 16 appearances this year and Baylor’s Josh Michalec has recorded a conference-leading 9 saves.

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Sooner Nation Podcast | The Oklahoman’s Jason Kersey Talks Spring Football

Use the media player to listen to the podcast live, beginning at 5:00 pm (CST)

The Sooners are well into their spring football practices and we’re going to try to figure out what the biggest story is to this point. The Oklahoman’s Jason Kersey is going to join us to discuss multiple topics highlighted by the Blake Bell transition to tight end, the rising stock of Alex Ross, and the competition to replace Aaron Colvin on the corner.

Make sure to participate in the conversation by using the comments section below.

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Weekend Roundup | Oklahoma Sooners Spring Tid Bits &The End Of College Athletics As We Know It?

Oklahoma football: Jordan Smallwood turning heads for Sooners | Ryan Aber and Jason Kersey | The Oklahoman

Jordan Smallwood’s first season with Oklahoma ended before it began as the wide receiver from Jenks had to have foot surgery before practice began last fall.Smallwood returned to practice during bowl preparation and has been in the mix during spring practices.

“A great start,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops answered when asked about the impression Smallwood had made so far in the spring. “He’s gonna be a really good player.”

OU’s Daryl Williams steps outside comfort zone as O-line’s public face | Eric Bailey | Tulsa World

With Ikard gone, Williams assumes leadership of the offensive line. The senior offensive tackle is already on many NFL draft boards and could play his way into a high pick in 2015.

Williams’ new role means increased visibility at media availability time following practices.

“Daryl has had a fabulous career and he’s been one of our best leaders here through the winter and spring,” coach Bob Stoops said earlier.

CHOOSING COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FUTURE | Blatant Homerism

What sometimes gets lost in broader economic discussions is that we all have power over how we arrive at those allocations. In observing the fallout this week from the National Labor Relations Board decision in favor of granting Northwestern football players the power to unionize, it has struck me that a significant segment of the population has either forgotten this fundamental fact of life or is choosing to ignore it.

Assuming the ruling holds up and reflects the direction of the future of major college athletics, it changes the factors surrounding our decisions about college sports. It doesn’t make anything fait accompli.

Rapid Reaction: Men’s Gymnastics claims MPSF championship | Jennifer Rogers | OU Daily

No.1 Oklahoma defeated Stanford, Cal, and Air Force today to win the MPSF Conference Championship posting a 446.100.

How the Sooners Won: After a couple of falls on high bar to start the meet of, Oklahoma recovered well and performed solid routines on the following events. The Sooners came out in full force on still rings. Squires scoring a 16.300 created momentum for the team as they continued on to vault.

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Oklahoma Sooners Baseball Takes Series From Kansas Jayhawks

Final: OU 2, KU 1. W-Choplick (3-1), S-Garza (4). http://ift.tt/1ocEV47

— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 29, 2014

The Oklahoma Sooners were shut out for eight of the nine innings or their game against the Jayhawks on Saturday but the two runs they scored in the to of the fourth were just enough to win thanks to another dominating pitching performance.

Kansas took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Justin Protacio scored on a Michael Suiter sacrifice to center field. Facing their second 1-0 deficit in as many days, the Sooners were able to muster enough offense in the top of the fourth to secure their second consecutive come-from-behind victory.

Sheldon Neuse led off the fourth with a single through the left side and then moved to third when Anthony Hermelyn doubled, down the left field line, with the next at bat. They both came home on sacrifices by Hunter Haley and Austin O’Brien to put the Sooners up 2-1 for the second day in a row.

Oklahoma was held to just eight hits in the game with Hermelyn and Niko Buentello recording two each and Neuse, Haley, O’Brien, Craig Aikin providing the other four.

As good as the Jayhawks have been from the mound this weekend, the Sooners have been just a touch better. Sophomore Adam Choplick picked up his third win of the season after going 5.2 innings and allowing just one run on four hits while also striking out six. Drew Krittenbrink pitched two thirds of an inning in relief and was followed by Jacob Evans, Kyle Hayes, and Ralph Garza, Jr. on the mound. Krittenbrink, Hayes, and Garza combined to throw 2.2 innings of no hit ball.

“Our pitching staff has been unbelievably reliable and the saving grace for this team, for the season and for this weekend,” Coach Pete Hughes said after the game.

Kansas starter Robert Kahana dropped his season record to 1-4 on the year but threw a respectable 6.1 innings against Oklahoma, in which he allowed just six hits and the two runs.

Saturday’s 2-1 win gives OU the series against the Jayhawks with one game still left. Oklahoma is now 20-8 on the season and 4-1 in conference play. The Sooners and Jayhawks will play the series finale on Sunday with a 1:00 pm first pitch.

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Sooners End Skid With 2-1 Comeback Win Over Jayhawks

The Sooners and Jayhawks are two of the top three hitting teams in the Big Twelve but based on their performances on Friday night you would think that they were also two of the top pitching teams. What was thought to be a game chalked full of offense turned into a pitcher’s duel with the game going scoreless through the first six innings.

The Jayhawks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Ka’iana Eldredge scored on a two-out double by Aaron Hernandez. While Kansas would threaten again in the eighth and ninth innings it would be the only run they’d be able to muster against a stellar pitching performance that held the Big XII’s top hitting team to just five hits for the game.

Oklahoma started their rally in the top of the eighth when a bases-loaded walk scored Hunter Haley and ended a scoring drought for the Sooners that lasted 25-innings and dated back to last Saturday’s game against Kansas State.

With the game tied at 1-1, in the top of the 9th, freshman Sheldon Neuse knocked in Craig Aikin on a two-out single up the middle to put Oklahoma ahead for good by the final score of 2-1. Neuse was the only Sooner player to record multiple hits in the game by going 2-of-4 from the plate. Aikin, Haley, Mac James and Hector Lorenzana also recorded a hit for Oklahoma.

At the end of the day, a win is a win. And that’s all that matters #WinTheSeries

— anthony hermelyn (@anthonyhermelyn) March 29, 2014

Oklahoma starter Corey Copping lasted 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs, before giving way to Kindle Ladd who went 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and the only Kansas run of the night. Jacob Evans and Ralph Garza, Jr. combined to hold the Jayhawks scoreless over the final two innings, with Garza taking 1.2 of the two innings.

The Sooners only managed six hits themselves and, like Kansas, left eleven runners stranded. The win pushed Oklahoma’s season record to 19-8 and temporarily puts them in sole possession of second place in the Big Twelve, with the Jayhawks now moving a game behind into third place.

Both teams will go back at it again on Saturday afternoon at 2:00.

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Weekend College Baseball Thread | Oklahoma Sooners At Kansas Jayhawks

The Sooners and Jayhawks are currently locked in a tie for second place within the Big Twelve Conference but that’ll change this weekend as Oklahoma travels to Lawrence, Kansas for a three-game set.

Oklahoma (18-8) vs. Kansas (17-8)
Location:	Lawrence, Kan. – Hoglund Ballpark (2,500)
Radio:	KREF Sports Talk 1400 AM / 98.5 FM Toby Rowland
TV:	ESPN/WatchESPN Friday Saturday Sunday
Live Stats:	SoonerSports.com
Start Times/Pitching Match-Ups
6:00 PM Friday:		RHP-Corey Copping (So., 2-0, 4.09) LHP-Wes Benjamin (Jr., 4-0, 4.50)
2:00 PM Saturday:		LHP-Adam Choplick (RSo., 2-1, 3.67) RHP-Robert Kahana (Jr., 1-3, 3.57)
1:00 PM Sunday:		RHP-Jake Elliott (Fr., 2-3, 3.57) RHP-Frank Duncan (Sr., 2-1, 1.79)

With nine players on their roster hitting .300 or better the Jayhawks have taken over the top spot in the conference in team batting with a collective average of .306 on the season. Michael Tinsley leads the way for Kansas with a .371 average and 8 RBI. Connor McKay is batting .320 and has a team high five home runs on the season. He also leads the way with 34 RBI on the year which is tops in the Big Twelve.

With a collective ERA of 3.31 on the year (6th in the Big 12), the Jayhawks will attack Oklahoma’s lineup with a pitching staff that features starters Wes Benjamin, Robert Kahana, and Frank Duncan. Benjamin has yet to lose this season, winning four times in six starts to compile a 4-0 record. He’s struck out 27 batters this season.

Coming off a rough outing at ORU on Tuesday evening, the Sooners dropped from the top hitting team in the conference to the third best team batting average at .300 even. Mac James continues to set the pace for Oklahoma with a Big 12 best .429 batting average. Hunter Haley has scored a conference best 27 runs and is second in the Big Twelve with five home runs. He also leads the team with 24 RBI on the year.

Oklahoma’s pitching staff has a team ERA of 3.37 which puts them one spot behind Kansas in the conference rankings at number six.

Looking at the track records of the two teams coming into this weekend series, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see a set of high scoring games.

The Sooners travel to Kansas on a two-game losing streak and are 1-2 this year in true road games.

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NCAA Basketball Sweet 16 | Friday Tip Times, Locations, Channels & More

Friday’s game/TV schedule

REGION	GAME	VENUE	TIME	TV	ANNOUNCERS
Midwest	(2) Michigan Wolverines vs. (11) Tennessee Volunteers	Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN	715p	CBS	Jim Nantz, Greg Anthony, Tracy Wolfson
East	(3) Iowa State Cyclones vs. (7) Connecticut Huskies	Madison Square Garden New York City, NY	727p	TBS	Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery, Allie LaForce
Midwest	(4) Louisville Cardinals vs. (8) Kentucky Wildcats	Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis, IN	945p	CBS	Jim Nantz, Greg Anthony, Tracy Wolfson
East	(1) Virginia Cavaliers vs. (4) Michigan St. Spartans	Madison Square Garden New York, NY	957p	TBS	Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery, Allie LaForce

Can Iowa State carry the Big XII banner into the Elite Eight? We not only think that they can but believe that they will.

Tonight’s Predicted Winners

Matt	Rich
Michigan State	Virginia
Iowa State	Iowa State
Louisville	Louisville
Michigan	Michigan

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College Baseball Preview | Oklahoma Sooners At Kansas Jayhawks

The Sooners and Jayhawks are currently locked in a tie for second place within the Big Twelve Conference but that’ll change this weekend as Oklahoma travels to Lawrence, Kansas for a three-game set.

Oklahoma (18-8) vs. Kansas (17-8)
Location:	Lawrence, Kan. – Hoglund Ballpark (2,500)
Radio:	KREF Sports Talk 1400 AM / 98.5 FM Toby Rowland
TV:	ESPN/WatchESPN Friday Saturday Sunday
Live Stats:	SoonerSports.com
Start Times/Pitching Match-Ups
6:00 PM Friday:		RHP-Corey Copping (So., 2-0, 4.09) LHP-Wes Benjamin (Jr., 4-0, 4.50)
2:00 PM Saturday:		LHP-Adam Choplick (RSo., 2-1, 3.67) RHP-Robert Kahana (Jr., 1-3, 3.57)
1:00 PM Sunday:		RHP-Jake Elliott (Fr., 2-3, 3.57) RHP-Frank Duncan (Sr., 2-1, 1.79)

With nine players on their roster hitting .300 or better the Jayhawks have taken over the top spot in the conference in team batting with a collective average of .306 on the season. Michael Tinsley leads the way for Kansas with a .371 average and 8 RBI. Connor McKay is batting .320 and has a team high five home runs on the season. He also leads the way with 34 RBI on the year which is tops in the Big Twelve.

With a collective ERA of 3.31 on the year (6th in the Big 12), the Jayhawks will attack Oklahoma’s lineup with a pitching staff that features starters Wes Benjamin, Robert Kahana, and Frank Duncan. Benjamin has yet to lose this season, winning four times in six starts to compile a 4-0 record. He’s struck out 27 batters this season.

Coming off a rough outing at ORU on Tuesday evening, the Sooners dropped from the top hitting team in the conference to the third best team batting average at .300 even. Mac James continues to set the pace for Oklahoma with a Big 12 best .429 batting average. Hunter Haley has scored a conference best 27 runs and is second in the Big Twelve with five home runs. He also leads the team with 24 RBI on the year.

Oklahoma’s pitching staff has a team ERA of 3.37 which puts them one spot behind Kansas in the conference rankings at number six.

Looking at the track records of the two teams coming into this weekend series, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see a set of high scoring games.

The Sooners travel to Kansas on a two-game losing streak and are 1-2 this year in true road games.

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NCAA Tournament | Sweet Sixteen Thursday Game Thread & Previews

Tonight, the first half of the remaining sixteen teams take to the hardwood in their pursuit of being crowned as the NCAA’s National Champion. Before the night ends, four teams will have secured a spot in the Elite Eight from the South Region as well as the West Region. Here is the run down on Thursday’s games:

#11 Dayton Flyers vs #10 Stanford Cardinal
6:15 PM CST | FedEx Forum | Memphis (South Region)

Stanford possesses an immediate size advantage over their opponent in tonight’s match-up. However, rebounding continues to be a struggle for the Cardinal squad. In short, second chance opportunities aren’t readily available if this team finds themselves in a hole early. Regardless of the rebounding woes, this is a game that will be decided on perimeter play. Chasson Randle, the best offensive player on the court most nights, has moved over to play the point guard position after Aaron Bright made the decision to transfer.

On the other end of the court, the Flyers look to dismantle Stanford through perimeter shooting. Shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc as a team, Dayton is led by Devin Oliver and Dyshawn Pierre. The combo presents a real threat with each possession. The expectation is for Dayton to pressure their opponent into more than a handful of turnovers while limiting their own and continuing to shoot the ball well in order to secure a win.

Prediction: Dayton by 3

#6 Baylor Bears vs #2 Wisconsin Badgers
6:47 PM CST | Honda Center | Anaheim (South Region)

The Bears have talent and athleticism to go around. Yet, the biggest story line here is going to be the defense. After tweaking their zone to limit Creighton’s Doug McDermott shooting ability, Baylor’s next opponent who relies heavily on the 3-ball should be worried. Using an Memphis Grizzlies/Indiana Pacers type defense of funneling players off the three-point line into the paint where the giant, in this case Isaiah Austin, is waiting has worked well for Coach Scott Drew as of late. If the offense continues to churn out three-pointers with Brady Heslip and others while gaining second chance opportunities like they have all season lon, BU may pull off the upset.

Bo Ryan, the head coach of Wisconsin, possesses a brilliant basketball mind. Multiple factors must be weighed heading into tonight. With three reliable guards standing 6-3 or shorter, the Badgers defense focuses on moving players off the 3-point line as well but does not funnel the shooter to the paint. Regardless, Wisconsin will find itself in undesirable mismatches due to the length of their opponent. Coach Ryan needs to crack the code to an effective zone defense in order to win this game and move on to his second Elite 8.

Prediction: Baylor by 10

#4 UCLA Bruins vs #1 Florida Gators
8:45 PM CST | FedEx Forum | Memphis (West Region)

UCLA likes to play fast while getting out in transition. It’s an odd combo when you think about Kyle Anderson, a 6-9 point guard who has earned the nickname “Slo-Mo.” A unique style of play in tandem with unreal ball handling skills make Anderson a nightmare match-up for any defender. The question now becomes, where will the support come from when going against arguably the nation’s best defense?

For the Florida Gators, it’s all about defense tonight. Without a real scoring threat from range, Coach Billy Donovan has implemented a smothering 1-3-1 defense to utilize the length of his players. Combine that with the press deployed from time to time and it’s easy to see why teams have struggled against Florida all season long. In an opposing style to their opponent, the Gators will attempt to set up a half-court offense. Scottie Wilbekin has a knack for rising to the occasion, sinking big time shots. He could be the difference maker assuming this game it too close for comfort.

Prediction: Florida by 9

#4 San Diego St. Aztecs vs #1 Arizona Wildcats
9:17 PM CST | Honda Center | Anaheim (West Region)

Unfortunately for SDSU, they are up against an opponent that’s has recorded a win over the Aztecs this season. On the bright side, that was in November and much has changed since the 9-point loss. Dwayne Polee has taken on a vital role as of late and can be the difference maker in round two. A physical team, San Diego St. attempts to win games inside the arc with high percentage shots. Everything offensively runs through Xavier Thames who averages 16.8 points per game. Can any defense slow this kid down?

Headlined by names like Aaron Gordon, the Arizona Wildcats are an athletic bunch who thrive in the open court and struggle with halfcourt offense. Yet, the biggest strength of this No. 1 Seed is defense. Statistically the best defense in the country, it will be strength on strength as Nick Johnson is the candidate likely tasked with slowing down Thames. Of course, it isn’t called March Madness without reason. If Zona fails to pull away, free throw shooting will hurt them in the closing minutes. With three players shooting below 67% from the charity stripe, this could be interesting.

Prediction: Arizona by 11

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Cast Your Vote | Fans Decide Oklahoma Sooners Spring Game Field Design

The Oklahoma Sooners‘ Spring Game, set for April 12th is rapidly approaching. With a few vital pieces of the offense and a key component from the secondary moving on to the next stage of their careers, fans continue to wonder who will replace the likes of Aaron Colvin and Trey Millard. Let’s not forget, there are plenty of talented freshmen waiting to step on campus who are expected to compete for immediate playing time.

Regardless, the Spring Game gives us football and as we all know in Oklahoma, football reigns supreme. This year, fans have been given the opportunity to vote on the field design through the University of Oklahoma’s Sooner Reward Program. A handful of options are available for both the mid-field design as well as the endzones. Voting has been open since March 25th and there’s still time to voice your opinion as the polls close on April 7th.

You can see the options and cast your vote here!

It makes me wonder if the football program is taking a page out of Lon Kruger’s book by not only allowing but asking for fan participation…

Of course there is a grand prize as well. For voting, you will be entered for a chance to win the VIP Experience which includes field passes and a pregame photo session.

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Oklahoma Sooner Spring Football Notes | Alex Ross Making Significant Strides

As expected, Trevor Knight didn’t take very many snaps in Oklahoma most recent scrimmage (prior to spring break) because the coaching staff as to be able to find a suitable backup before the season starts. Perhaps the most qualified candidate to take the field, should Knight go down, won’t even be eligible this fall. Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield has turned heads in the spring workouts.

“Baker looks good,” Coach Stoops said on Tuesday about the Big Twelve’s Offensive Freshman of the Year. “You can tell he’s played. It’s obvious he’s been on the field when you watch him play. He looks comfortable and makes plays.”

The real competition is between Justice Hansen and Cody Thomas. While both have shown promise neither has locked down the job yet. I wouldn’t expect the position to be settled this spring anyway.

Of course the quarterback race took a drastic turn when Blake Bell switched over to the tight end position. He’s got the body size to be an NFL caliber tight end but his route running and catching ability remains a bit of a mystery to the fan base but not necessarily the coaching staff. According to Coach Stoops, he looks natural at the position, even caught a long touchdown pass over the middle on Tuesday, but needs to keep improving on his blocking.

As far as the other targets for Oklahoma’s quarterbacks goes, we know what we’re getting with Sterling Shepard but Jordan Smallwood, Durron Neal, and Derrick Woods were all singled out by Stoops. “They’re playing better and more consistent, for sure,” Stoops said. “That’s just how it works at this level. Now they’re here for their third year and he’s been getting ready to play. Those guys are very capable of coming in and giving us the production we’re used to having.”

We’re all excited to see Joe Mixon when he arrives this summer but don’t be surprised if Alex Ross doesn’t become the star of the spring game. Ross is having a fantastic spring and is expecting to find his way on the field more often this fall.

“This year I have a better chance of playing,” Ross said. “I’ve been working hard out there this spring.” Coach Stoops has taken note of Ross’ hard work as well. “Alex has been impressive,” Stoops commented. “He’s really shown up in a few practices…”

When asked about the contributing factors in his turnaround, Ross insinuated that it was nothing more than just growing up a bit. “I paid my dues and waited my time,” Ross said. “I felt like I needed time to get acclimated to everything around here. I feel like I’ve matured a little bit just in getting bigger and knowing what to do in my part.”

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Oklahoma Sooners Spring Football | Defense Is “Light Years” Ahead Of Last Year

Bob Stoops is pleased with the progress of his defense this spring. Where they were focusing on learning their positions a year ago, this spring they’re deep into their defensive schemes and positions. Its the difference between having a group of youngsters vs. a group of veterans.

“We’re light years ahead of a year ago. A year ago we weren’t in systems yet. Now we’re not only in it, we’re expanding it and thinking smooth and polishing it out,” Stoops said after Tuesday’s practice.

One of the keys to Oklahoma’s defensive improvement could be the development of linebacker Devante Bond. A three-star junior college early enrollee from Sierra Community College, Bond has been explosive this spring. Still trying to figure out his responsibilities in certain schemes, Bond has shown that he physically has the tool set to be a difference maker for this team. He’s also drawing high praise from Coach Stoops, who has no issues comparing him to All-Conference linebacker Eric Striker.

“…he’s got a great natural, knack for doing it (rushing the quarterback) like Eric (Striker),” Stoops said of Devante Bond on Tuesday.

The race to replace Aaron Colvin at corner is a three-man competition and it is really close. Stanvon Taylor, Dakota Austin, and Cortez Johnson have all had shining moments, with none of them having yet to separate as a top guy to line up opposite of Zack Sanchez.

Oklahoma’s defense rebounded from 2012 to allow a Big Twelve best 336.3 yards per game last fall. With a majority of the starters back in 2014, they will be expected to be one of the top defensive units in the conference. While expectations are always high in Norman, this defense appears to be just a few pieces of the puzzle away from legitimately warranting those expectations this season, and it looks like those pieces could very well be falling into place.

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Oklahoma Sooners Baseball Falls 3-0 To ORU

For the second week in a row the Sooners have suffered a mid-week loss to a team with a sub .500 record. The latest was a 3-0 loss to ORU in Tulsa on Tuesday night. Golden Eagles pitcher Pepe Gomez pitched a complete shutout against Oklahoma, limiting the Sooners to just five hits on the night while also striking out five Oklahoma batters. Craig Aikin, Niko Buentello, Mac James, Taylor Alspaugh, and Hector Lorenzana were the only Sooners to record hits on the night.

Robert Tasin went 3.2 innings in start for Oklahoma, allowing a single run to score off four hits. While Kindle Ladd would end up surrendering two more runs, the run that ORU scored off Oklahoma’s starter in the bottom of the second would be all the offense the Golden Eagles would need.

Dean Wilson’s single in the bottom of the second scored Tyler Boss for the first run of the game. The Golden Eagles added two more in the sixth to essentially put the game out of reach for an inept offensive performance by the Big Twelve’s top hitting team.

The Sooners will be playing at Kansas this weekend in their second conference series of the season.

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The Next Trevor Knight and Ryan Broyles (2015 Recruiting Tidbits)

Recruiting is a marathon and not a sprint. Lack of public information doesn’t mean the coaches aren’t hard at work to ensure that the class of 2015 not only meets needs, but brings in elite talent to the Sooner program. Several things have happened over the past week.

1. Torrance Gibson 6’4 195lbs. from Plantation, FL. visited the Sooners along with multiple SEC teams.

Torrance let the world know via twitter about his whirlwind visit tour.

Just arrived at Oklahoma #BoomerSooner ⭕

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) March 22, 2014

Still at Oklahoma campus & I’m loving it ✊

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) March 23, 2014

Just leaving Oklahoma. I had a great time #BoomerSooner ⭕

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) March 23, 2014

#Oklahoma  #BoomerSooner #OU ⭕🅾 http://ift.tt/OXUg8x

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) March 23, 2014

The most interesting part is that Gibson was long thought to extend his recruitment, but after his visits he had this to saw via twitter.

I thought about it & I will be committing early.

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) March 25, 2014

Gibson is a dynamic passer and runner and would be an unbelievable addition to the class of 2015.

2. The Sooners extended offer to class of 2016 DL McTelvin Agim. Agim is 6’2″ 245 lbs. and from Hope, Ark. Despite being a 2016 recruit, Agim already has offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson,and Ole Miss. Agim was really excited about his offer and let the world know

Offered by Oklahoma while me & my cousin was just chilling on our Granny birthday!! Got teared up a little bit.. #Blessed

— McTelvin Agim (@So_Splash) March 24, 2014

3. Sooner Nation was dealt a little blow as most thought 2015 OL Toby Weathersby was a lean for the Sooners. the 6’4″ 295lbs. OT/OG visited Texas this past weekend and drank the burnt orange kool-aid.

Proud to say I’m a Longhorn #hookem

— toby weathersby (@toby_weathersby) March 22, 2014

Weathersby chose the Longhorns over offers from Texas A&M, Florida, OU, and TTech.

4. With the Spring game right around the corner, the Sooners will be hosting several major 2015 recruits. One of the most notable is Christian Kirk 5’10 190lbs. slot WR from Scottsdale, AZ. Kirk is an elite athlete. The Sooners are in the thick of things with numerous schools, but many think Texas A&M might have the upper hand. His visit for the spring game will go a long way to determining whether OU will be a serious player for his commitment.

Here is a clip of Kirk in action (check out the 2nd highlight)

2015 WR/RB Christian Kirk 2013 season highlight remix (via Prep1Force)

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College Baseball | Oklahoma Sooners At ORU Game Thread

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College Baseball – Oklahoma Sooners At ORU Golden Eagles

Coming off a series win over Kansas State during the weekend, the Sooners are set to head up the turnpike to play 10-12 Oral Roberts on Tuesday night. It will mark the first of four consecutive road games for Oklahoma as they will continue their road trip up to Lawrence, Kansas this weekend.

Mac James continues to lead Oklahoma in batting with a .432 average on the year. He’s knocked in 22 RBI on the season and has gone yard three times. Hunter Haley leads the team in RBI with (24) and home runs (5), he’s batting .352 on the year. Anthony Hermelyn (.340) and Sheldon Neuse (.313) join James and Haley as members of the squad batting over .300 on the year.

Oklahoma’s pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.37 with Robert Tasin (2-0, 4.50) drawing the start. In twelve innings of work this season, Tasin has struck out 11 batters while walking four and allowing seven runs off ten hits.

Tasin will be going up against an ORU lineup that is batting .256 on the year and are led by Matt Brandy’s .298 average. Jose Trevino leads the Golden Eagles with 17 RBI and has also hit a team high four home runs. Trevino is batting .293 on the year.

Oral Roberts will start Pepe Gomez who has a 1-2 record and a 2.45 ERA on the year. In 18.1 innings pitched this year, he’s struck out twelve batters and has given up nine runs off thirteen hits. The ORU pitching staff has a collective ERA of 3.77 on the year.

Tuesday’s game will be the first of two meetings between the Sooners and Golden Eagles with ORU visiting Norman on April 8th.

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College Baseball Preview – Oklahoma Sooners At ORU Golden Eagles

Coming off a series win over Kansas State during the weekend, the Sooners are set to head up the turnpike to play 10-12 Oral Roberts on Tuesday night. It will mark the first of four consecutive road games for Oklahoma as they will continue their road trip up to Lawrence, Kansas this weekend.

Mac James continues to lead Oklahoma in batting with a .432 average on the year. He’s knocked in 22 RBI on the season and has gone yard three times. Hunter Haley leads the team in RBI with (24) and home runs (5), he’s batting .352 on the year. Anthony Hermelyn (.340) and Sheldon Neuse (.313) join James and Haley as members of the squad batting over .300 on the year.

Oklahoma’s pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.37 with Robert Tasin (2-0, 4.50) drawing the start. In twelve innings of work this season, Tasin has struck out 11 batters while walking four and allowing seven runs off ten hits.

Tasin will be going up against an ORU lineup that is batting .256 on the year and are led by Matt Brandy’s .298 average. Jose Trevino leads the Golden Eagles with 17 RBI and has also hit a team high four home runs. Trevino is batting .293 on the year.

Oral Roberts will start Pepe Gomez who has a 1-2 record and a 2.45 ERA on the year. In 18.1 innings pitched this year, he’s struck out twelve batters and has given up nine runs off thirteen hits. The ORU pitching staff has a collective ERA of 3.77 on the year.

Tuesday’s game will be the first of two meetings between the Sooners and Golden Eagles with ORU visiting Norman on April 8th.

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Oklahoma Sooners Baseball | Hector Lorenzana Named Player Of The Week

For the second week in a row, and the third time this season, an Oklahoma baseball player has been named as the Player of the Week. Seven days after freshman Sheldon Neuse was honored as the conference Newcomer of the Week Hector Lorenzana was named as the Big Twelve’s Co-Player of the Week.

Batting .474 last week, in five games against TCU, Arkansas-Little Rock, and Kansas State, Lorenzana drove in three runs and scored five runs himself. In three of the five games last week Lorenzana recorded multiple hits including a 3-for-5 performance in Saturday’s 11-2 win over Kansas State.

Over the last week, Lorenzana’s has been .632 and his on base percentage was .500 during that time.

Oklahoma infielder Mac James was the first Sooner selected to receive a weekly honor this season when he was named as the Player of the Week on March 10th. That started what has now been a three-week stretch of Sooners selected to receive weekly honors.

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Big XII Baseball Notes | Sooners Take Opening Series | Bears In First

Coach Pete Hughes and his Sooners took care of business, in their opening series of conference play, by hammering Kansas State for twenty-two runs and taking two of three games from the preseason Big XII favorites. Highlighting the weekend for Oklahoma were grand slam home runs, in back-to-back games, but Hunter Haley and Mac James.

“I think they understand my mindset in offensive baseball,” Coach Hughes said on Saturday. “Any baseball player is going to enjoy that. They’re not handcuffed in any way. When you can go out there and play free and not worry about making any mistakes or having bad swings, you tend to be a better offensive player. You play more relaxed and you swing more relaxed.”

The Sooners now stand at 18-7 on the season and 2-1 in conference play. They are tied with Kansas for second place in the Big XII.

	Big 12	Pct	Streak	Overall	Pct	Streak
Baylor	4-2	.667	L1	13-10	.565	L1
Oklahoma	2-1	.667	L1	18-7	.720	L1
Kansas	2-1	.667	W1	16-8	.667	L1
Texas Tech	3-3	.500	W2	19-7	.731	W2
Texas	1-2	.333	L1	19-6	.760	W4
Oklahoma State	1-2	.333	W1	16-8	.667	W1
Kansas State	1-2	.333	W1	14-9	.609	W1
TCU	1-2	.333	L2	13-10	.565	L2
West Virginia	0-0	.000	–	12-8	.600	L1

After taking two of three games from Oklahoma State over the weekend, the Baylor Bears have established themselves at the top of the conference standings. The Bears also own a 2-1 series victory over Texas tech as well.

After dropping their opening conference series to Baylor, the Red Raiders rebounded this weekend to take two of three games at TCU.

In non-conference games, West Virginia went 1-2 against North-Carolina Wilmington, Kansas went 2-1 against Dartmouth, and Texas swept Columbia.

Conference Leaders

* With Mac James batting a Big Twelve best .432 on the year, Oklahoma leads the conference in team batting at .305 on the season.

* Nathan Thornhill’s 1.01 ERA is helping the Texas Longhorns to have the top pitching staff in the conference, with a team ERA of 1.91 on the year.

* A duo of Sooners lead the Big XII in hits (Mac James 38) and in runs scored (Hunter Haley 27) but Oklahoma State’s Tanne Krietemeier leads the conference in home runs with 6 this year.

* Texas’s Mark Payton leads the Big Twelve in on base percentage at .528 on the year while Oklahoma’s Mac James has the highest slugging percentage in the conference at .648 on the year.

* The Sooners also have the top three players in the Big 12 in total bases – Mac James (57), Hunter Haley and Sheldon Neuse (56).

* Baylor’s Lawton Langford’s 22 walks are the most in the conference.

* TCU’s Brandon Finnegan tops the Big XII with 65 fanned batters this season.

* Eight pitchers are currently tied for the most wins in the conference (4) with 14 tied at 3 wins each.

*

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2014 March Madness schedule and bracket for Sunday’s games

Kansas, Iowa State, and Baylor are all representing the Big XII today in the tournament. With half of the Sweet 16 already set the other half is coming today.

As far as brackets are concerned, I lost my first Final Four team last night when `Nova was upset. It felt like a small piece of me died.

REGION	GAME	VENUE	TIME	TV	ANNOUNCERS
South	Stanford Cardinal (10) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (2)	Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)	1215p	CBS	Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
MidWest	Kentucky Wildcats (8) vs. Wichita State Shockers (1)	Scottrade Center (St. Louis, MO)	245p	CBS	Jim Nantz/Greg Anthony/Tracy Wolfson
East	North Carolina Tar Heels (6) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (3)	AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)	515p	CBS	Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
MidWest	Mercer Bears (14) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (11)	PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)	610p	TNT	Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
South	Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (12) vs. UCLA Bruins (4)	Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)	710p	TBS	Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston
West	Baylor Bears (6) vs. Creighton Bluejays (3)	AT&T Center (San Antonio, TX)	745p	truTV	Marv Albert/Steve Kerr/Craigh Sager
East	Memphis Tigers (8) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (1)	PNC Arena (Raleigh, NC)	840p	TNT	Kevin Harlan/Len Elmore/Reggie Miller/Rachel Nichols
West	Gonzaga Bulldogs (8) vs. Arizona Wildcats (1)	Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl (San Diego, CA)	940p	TBS	Andrew Catalon/Mike Gminski/Otis Livingston

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Oklahoma Sooners Baseball Hammers Kansas State Second Day In A Row

The Kansas State Wildcats are quickly learning just how potent Oklahoma’s batting lineup can be. On Friday sophomore Hunter Haley became the first Sooner baseball player to hit a grand slam home run since the 2011 season. On Saturday junior Mac James followed suit with a grand slam in the bottom of the 8th inning to turn a close 3-2 game into an 11-2 rout.

For the second day in a row the Wildcats jumped on Oklahoma in the first inning and took a 2-0 lead all the way into the bottom of the fourth inning when Sheldon Neuse scored on an Austin O’Brien sacrifice. The Sooners would add single runs in the fifth and again in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. Then Oklahoma exploded for an eight run eighth, highlighted by Mac James’ grand slam, inning to blow the game open for the second day in a row.

Final: No. 30 Oklahoma 11, Kansas State 4. Sooners score 11 for second straight game. #BoomerSooner http://ift.tt/1gnVx4C

— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 22, 2014

Nine batters recorded hits for the Sooners on Friday with five of them recording multiple hits, highlighted by Hector Lorenzana who went 3-for-4 for from the plate.

Starter Adam Choplick went 6.1 innings, striking out four, and was responsible for the Wildcats two runs. Kindle Ladd picked up the win, his first of the season, by facing three batters and pitching just one third of an inning. Ralph Garza, Jr and Drew Krittenbrink each pitched a perfect inning for the Sooners as well.

Saturday’s win secured the series victory over the Wildcats and puts them in position to go for the sweep on Sunday. First pitch in Sunday’s game is scheduled for 1:00 in the afternoon.

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2014 Women’s NCAA Tournament: Sooners vs. #7 DePaul

An up and down season for the Sooners comes to ahead as they will play the Big East Champion in the first round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Who: Oklahoma Sooners (18-14) vs. DePaul Blue Demons (27-6)
When: March 22, 2014 – 12:30 p.m.
Where: Durham, NC – Cameron Indoor Stadium
TV: ESPN2/107.7 KRXO FM/KOKC 1520 AM/WatchESPN

ESPN2 coverage Map:

For Sherri Coale’s Oklahoma Sooners, they would sweat out their seeding selection. Thankfully for their placement, they found out early on that they were going dancing. Their reward for dancing? The Big East Champions, the DePaul Blue Demons.

The Blue Demons are your Big East Conference Champs. They didn’t play a super tough schedule, as the Big East isn’t the juggernaut that it once was, but they’re still a very formidable opponent and should not be taken lightly at all. They’ve only played two ranked teams all season, losing both by an average of 13.5 points per game.

DePaul’s starters are their strong point, as all five starters score in double figures. They’re led by Jasmine Penny, who’s averaging 15.8 PPG and shooting 58 percent from the field. She’ll get a lot of her shots from Brittany Hyrnko. She is adding 12.5 PPG. The guard ranks 30th in Division I with 5.7 assists per game and is 26th with 2.61 steals per game.

The Sooners and the 7th-seeded Blue Demons for the second time in their school’s history and their first on a neutral court. Their first and only meeting was a 105-71 Sooners victory when Oklahoma was ranked #3 in 2006.

As the Sooners will be the lower seeded team for the 33rd time in their NCAA history. They’ve been proven to be very tough when they come in as an underdog. Oklahoma is 25-7 all-time as the lower seeded team. (30-16 all-time). With being the lower seeded, it concludes Oklahoma’s 15th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. DePaul is making their 11 consecutive trip to the big dance. Both teams are just one of nine teams that can say they have done that actively.

With being eliminated in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament, it’ll be almost a full two weeks since the Sooners have taken to the court, and with such an up and down season, it could be beneficial to get their legs and minds back under neath them for the tournament run. It’s the longest layoff for the Sooners since 1981 when they had a 20-day layoff. Oklahoma had a 13-day layoff last season, and won their first two games.

The Sooners and the Blue Demons are a straight pick ’em if you’re into gambling odds, so this is ultimately a toss up on the books. However, with a prolific scorer like Aaryn Ellenberg, the Sooners could be a big favorite if she plays up to her star potential. Ellenberg leads this senior core that has played in 455 games throughout their careers and don’t want to be the first senior class to fall in the opening around since 2005.

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NCAA Tournament 2014: Schedule and bracket for Saturday’s games

I’m not sure if Saturday can produce any crazier results than Thursday and Friday did but you know they’ll try their best.

Texas is the only Big Twelve school in action today and, at least according to my bracket, this is where their season comes to a halt. I had Michigan advancing to the Sweet 16 and then falling to Duke but,,,well…that’s not going to happen anymore.

Best Game Of The Tourney So Far | Stephen F. Austin 77 – VCU 75 (OT)

Worst Game | Pittsburgh 77 – Colorado 48

Biggest Upset | #14 Mercer 78 – #3 Duke 71

REGION	GAME	VENUE	TIME	TV	ANNOUNCERS
South	Pittsburgh Panthers (9) vs. Florida Gators (1)	Amway Center (Orlando, FL)	1215p	CBS	Brian Anderson/Dan Bonner//Kristine Leahy
MidWest	Saint Louis Billikens (5) vs. Louisville Cardinals (4)	Amway Center (Orlando, FL)	245p	CBS	Anderson/Bonner//Leahy)
MidWest	Texas Longhorns (7) vs. Michigan Wolverines (2)	BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)	515p	CBS	Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel//Lewis Johnson
West	North Dakota State Bison (12) vs. New Mexico State Aggies (13) / San Diego State Aztecs (4)	Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)	610p	TNT	Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
South	Dayton Flyers (11) vs. Syracuse Orange (3)	First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)	710p	TBS	Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery//Allie LaForce
West	Oregon Ducks (7) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (2)	BMO Harris Bradley Center (Milwaukee, WI)	745p	CBS	Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel//Lewis Johnson
East	Harvard Crimson (12) vs. Michigan State Spartans (4)	Spokane Memorial Arena (Spokane, WA)	840p	TNT	Spero Dedes/Doug Gottlieb//Jaime Maggio
East	Connecticut Huskies (7) vs. Villanova Wildcats (2)	First Niagara Center (Buffalo, NY)	940p	TBS	Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery//Allie LaForce

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Oklahoma Sooners Baseball Blast Past Kansas State In Big Twelve Opener

The two best hitting teams in the Big 12 squared off  Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park and one of them didn’t disappoint. Kansas State jumped up on the Sooners 2-0 in the first when Tanner DeVinny singled up the middle to score Austin Fisher and Shane Conlon.

Friday’s Big XII Baseball Scores

North Carolina-Wilmington	1	West Virginia	2
Kansas	13	Dartmouth	5
Texas	7	Columbia	3
Oklahoma	11	Kansas State	4
Baylor	4	Oklahoma State	1
TCU	9	Texas Tech	0

Oklahoma got on the board in the bottom of the second when Hector Lorenzana knocked in Anthony Hermelyn on a single to left field. The Wildcats got a run back though, in the top of the third, and maintained a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. That’s when the Sooners put together their most productive inning of the season.

OU put brought in eight runs off seven hits in the inning to take a commanding lead and would never look back from there. Hunter Haley would bat twice in the inning with his second plate appearance resulting in a grand slam home run. It was the first time an Oklahoma batter has hit a grand slam since Ricky Eisenburg achieved the feat against Kansas on May 8th, 2011. Haley finished the game 2-for-5 from the plate, with two runs scored and four runs batted in.

Final: No. 30 Oklahoma 11, Kansas State 4. Sooners open Big 12 with a big win. http://ift.tt/1jehYuU

— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 22, 2014

After the Wildcats scored a run in the top of the eighth inning, Oklahoma quickly eradicated any hopes of a KSU comeback by posting two more runs in the bottom half to extend their lead to the final score of 11-4. Oklahoma’s 11 runs came on 18 hits with seven of OU’s nine batters recording multiple hits in the game.

Oklahoma starter Corey Copping lasted 4.2 innings but was on the hook for three of Kansas State’s four runs. He gave up seven hits, walked two, and struck out four against the statically best hitting offense in the conference. Jacob Evans was the first reliever to come out of the bullpen and earned the win by tossing three full innings. He allowed just one run, off a single hit, and struck out two. Kindle Ladd pitched just a third of an inning before Kyle Hayes tossed a perfect ninth.

The two teams will go at it again on Saturday at 1:00

Three Strikes

* Oklahoma now has the highest team batting average in the Big 12 at .308 on the season

* Mac James has the highest individual batting average in the Big 12 at .444

* Sheldon Neuse, Hunter Haley, and Mac James are the top three in the Big 12 in total bases

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Weekend College Baseball Thread | Kansas State Wildcats At Oklahoma Sooners

It didn’t take long for Kansas State to turn their season around! After getting off to a very slow 1-7 start the preseason favorites to win the conference will come to Norman riding a twelve-game winning streak.

Boasting a Big XII best .304 batting average the Wildcats have boosted their season record with timely hitting and strong base running. Kansas State also has the highest on base percentage in the conference at .411 on the year.

The Wildcats are a blue collar team that works hard to get where they are. You won’t find a bunch of power hitters on this team (only three players have hit home runs this year) but what you will find is eight guys batting .300 or better. Junior Austin Fisher leads the way for KSU with a .387 batting average, two home runs, and 14 RBI. Mitch Meyer, also a junior, leads the team in total RBIs on the year with 18. He also has two home runs and is batting .327 for the season. Senior Ross Kivett is the other K-State player to have hit a home run this season. He’s batting .329 and has knocked in 13 RBI this year.

Right on the heels of the Wildcats are the Sooners who are batting .301 on the year as a team. Mac James has a Big Twelve best .442 batting average and has knocked in 18 RBI while crossing home plate 18 times himself. James also leads the conference in total hits with 34 on the year. Hunter Haley leads the conference in runs scored (24) and his four home runs are the most on the team. The Sooners also boast three of the top four in the conference in total bases with freshman Sheldon Neuse (50), James (49), and Haley (48). Four Sooners are currently batting .300 or better.

Up against these two lineups will be the pitching staffs of the two schools. Kansas State is seventh in the Big XII with a team ERA of 3.46 while the Sooners are fifth at 3.38. Coach Hughes will keep to his normal weekend rotation of Corey Copping, Adam Choplick, and Jake Elliott. The Wildcats have yet to announce a Sunday starter but will go with Levi MaVorhis and Jared Moore on Friday and Saturday.

While it is only the first weekend of conference play, this series could easily set the tone for the remainder of the year for both squads. The Wildcats want to keep rolling on their winning streak while the Sooners are looking to overcome an atrocious Wednesday night outing in which they lost 11-2 to Arkansas-Little Rock.

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