OU Baseball: Carpenter's Blast Gives OU The Win

Junior second baseman Kolbey Carpenter went yard in the seventh inning for the second-straight Friday night to give the No. 23 Oklahoma baseball team a 3-2 win over Sam Houston State at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners improved to 29-16 overall to run their current win streak to four games.

“He just looks so relaxed, even on his takes,” commented head coach Pete Hughes. “That's how I know he has it going and he has been in that zone for about two weeks now and we have to keep him there.”

Oklahoma squandered a two-run lead in the seventh as the Bearkats (22-21) rallied for two all with two outs. A two-out walk to nine-hole hitter and catcher Collin Yelich got things started and an error kept the inning alive. Center fielder Colt Atwood loaded the bases on a slow-grounder to short and designated hitter Hayden Simerly tied the game with a two-run base knock up the middle just over the outstretched glove of OU sophomore right-hander Jake Elliott.

“That's a good team. They are used to winning,” stated Hughes. “They've been to three national tournaments in a row and have three conference championships in a row. They have a super veteran lineup. That always scares me when you have a bunch of seniors and juniors in there. They have 400-600 at-bats in their career so they have a clue how to hit.”

Carpenter came to the plate with one away in the seventh and on a 3-2 pitch went deep to left-center for his team-leading eighth home run of the season.

Junior right-hander Ralph Garza Jr. came on for Elliott to finish the seventh and leave runners on the corners. In the eighth, he struck out the side with a one-out double mixed in to give way for junior left-hander Jacob Evans in the ninth.

A bunt-single up the third base line by pinch-hitter Jake MacWilliam for Sam Houston started against Evans in the ninth. He got the next man looking and then a walk moved the potential game-tying run into scoring position. A single pounded through the left-side by Simerly loaded the bases, but Evans came back for another called strike three and a harmless grounder to third to record his sixth save of the season.

The Sooners got on the board right away in the first inning as Carpenter led off the home half with a single through the right-side. He advanced on a sacrifice-bunt and a wild pitch to score on a base hit by junior designated hitter Anthony Hermelyn. They would add the second run of the night in the fourth on a RBI-double to right by sophomore first baseman Austin O'Brien to score junior center fielder Craig Aikin, who led off the inning with an infield-single.

Elliott worked out of jams all night; stranding six runners in the first six innings and just one perfect frame. He scattered seven hits and a walk in the no-decision, while striking out seven and allowing two unearned runs in 6.2 innings of work.

“He pitched well enough to win. When I went out and got him I said, 'you deserve much better than that my man'. It's a no-decision but he earned a W today. He was a good matchup with those lefties. His changeup was devastating tonight.”

For the Bearkats, lefty Andrew Godail (2-5) was the hard-luck loser. He gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts in seven innings.

For the night, Carpenter paced the Sooners with a 3-for-4 performance with two runs scored. O'Brien added a 2-for-3 night.

Game two between Oklahoma and Sam Houston State is set for Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm. Sophomore right-hander Alec Hansen will take the mound for the Sooners.

Notes:

· Kolbey Carpenter extended his hit streak to nine with a lead-off single in the first inning. He is hitting .500 (19-for-38) over that stretch.

· Carpenter picked up his sixth-straight multi-hit game and team-leading 21st of the season with a 3-for-4 performance.

· Anthony Hermelyn drove in the first run of the game with his 30th RBI of the season.

· Craig Aikin hit his team-leading 15th infield-single.

· Austin O'Brien doubled in the fourth inning for his first extra-base hit since he homered and doubled against Purdue (3/8).

· O'Brien later singled for his seventh multi-hit game of the year.

· OU starting pitchers have lasted six innings or more in 24 starts this season as Jake Elliott lasted 6.2 innings.

· Elliott had a scoreless-inning streak snapped at 17 with a two-run single that tied the game in the seventh. Both runs were unearned. He has gone 20-straight innings without allowing an earned run.

· Carpenter hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season; a go-ahead solo shot in the seventh inning. The home run was the 13th of his career, which matches Sheldon Neuse for most by an active Sooner.

· Sooner pitchers have combined to strikeout 10 or more in 22 games this season.

· Jacob Evans recorded his sixth save of the season and 15th of his career. He stands alone in fifth all-time at OU in saves.