Sooners baseball opens home slate with blowout

Oklahoma opened the home schedule emphatically Friday with a 20-0 victory over Wright State in the first of a four-game set in Norman. So much for a slow start offensively. 

The Sooners scored early and often with marks in each of the first five innings. John Spikerman, Michael Snyder and Scott Mudler collected three hits a piece. Anthony Mackenzie returned to the line-up hitting a third inning solo home run extending the lead to 6-0.

Then the floodgates opened. 

Oklahoma scored six in the fifth, four in the seventh and three more in the eighth. A dominant return to the friendly confines of L. Dale Mitchell Ballpark. 

“I told Reggie (Willits) and Russell (Raley) I thought that was one of the better times I’ve seen us getting good pitches to hit,” said head coach Skip Johnson. “Laying off borderline pitches. And I thought we did a great job offensively with our approach and what we need to do.

“I thought we were really good with men in scoring position, using the middle of the field and hitting behind the runners which was really big.”

Davis impressive – again 

Sure the runs and hits are eye-popping. And rightfully so. But Oklahoma’s Friday night starter looked like a Friday night starter. Braden Davis picked up his first win as a Sooner throwing six innings and striking out eight. 

“Braden was really good. I thought he was really good early. I thought our offense came out with a sense of urgency,” Johnson said. “You get better the more runs you get. Your fastball gets better. Your breaking ball gets better. Everything gets better when your offense is playing offense, you know? 

“I thought Braden was good though. He had a little lull there in the fourth or fifth because he set a little bit but I thought he was outstanding.” 

After allowing a one-out single and walk in the fifth, Davis escaped the only real jam he faced all night. Strikeout. Strikeout. Frame over. Sooners bats then opened it up. 

“It was big to get out of that. Throw up another zero and keep the momentum on our side and let the hitters get back to work,” said Davis. 

Oklahoma’s Friday night starter looked the part. Another step in the right direction for a pitching staff that has impressed through the first five games of the season. Davis along with Jett Lodes, Myles Meyer and Brad Pruett struck out 15 on the day. Oklahoma’s pitching staff has struck out 13 batters or more in all five games this season. 

Welcome back, Anthony Mackenzie 

It only took two plate appearances for Anthony Mackenzie to announce his return. 

The senior infielder returned to the Sooners line-up Friday after missing last weekend’s opening series in Arlington and went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, including a third inning home run to rightfield. 

“I thought I got fisted a little bit. I was like, ‘dang dude’. After our first at-bats, all of the lefties were saying he was throwing away. So I was looking away and was late in my first at-bat. And then he threw me one in there. Wind was blowing. It was a good pitch. It just happened to go out,” said Mackenzie.  

With his return to the line-up there will be plenty of speculation when it comes to the Sooners line-up. Depth is a good problem to have. Confidence even moreso. 

“The depth is amazing. We really do have a great team. Honestly it takes the pressure off everyone. You go up there and try to relax. Try to have fun. It makes everyone’s job easier when Braden goes up there and does what he does,” said Mackenzie.

Up Next:

Oklahoma-Wright State continue the four game series with a double-header on Saturday and the finale on Sunday.