Sooners and Bruins begin three-game series on Friday at 3 p.m.
March 5, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. -- No. 16 Sooners are 9-3 on the season and continue their eight-game home stand this weekend against UCLA (2-7). The Bruins began the year ranked in the top 10 but have since fallen out of the polls since dropping their last four to ranked opponents. The three-game series starts on Friday, March 6 at 3 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Game two is slated for a noon first pitch on Saturday and the series concludes on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Bruins, under eighth- year head coach John Savage, started the season 2-0 but have lost seven straight.UCLA was picked to finish second in the Pac 10 Conference after finishing third with a 33-27 overall record (13-11 in conference play) in 2008. The Bruins return 22 letterwinners from a squad that like OU, played in the championship game of a NCAA Regional in 2008.
UCLA has a 4.08 ERA and will start Rob Rasmussen (1-0, 2.45 ERA), a lefty, in game one. Offensively, the Bruins are hitting .289 as a team with Casey Haerther leading the way with a .472 batting average, two homers and seven RBIs.
The Sooners and Bruins have met in nine previous games with UCLA holding a 5-4 edge. The Sooners have won two out of the last three meetings. The teams opened the 2008 season in Los Angeles and the Sooners split the two games against then-No. 1 UCLA. Six of the nine all-time meetings have taken place in postseason play, including the first meeting, a 5-3 OU win in the 1992 NCAA Regional played in Starkville, Miss.
UCLA SERIES INFORMATION
UCLA leads 5-4
In Norman: 0-0
In Los Angeles: 1-1
Regular Season: OU leads 2-1
Postseason: UCLA leads 4-2
First Meeting: OU won 5-3, NCAA Regional: May 21, 1991 (Starkville, Miss.)
Last Meeting: OU won 3-2, Feb. 23, 2008 (Los Angeles, Calif.)
GAME 13 - Friday, March 6
First Pitch 3:00 p.m. CST
OU Starter Andrew Doyle - RHP (1-1, 3.46)
UCLA Starter Rob Rasmussen - LHP (1-0, 2.45)
Live Audio All-Access/Soonersports.com
GAME 14 - Saturday, March 7
First Pitch noon CST
OU Starter Antwonie Hubbard - RHP (1-0, 4.50)
UCLA Starter Charles Brewer - RHP (0-1, 3.60)
Live Audio All-Access/Soonersports.com
Live Video All-Access/Soonersports.com
GAME 15 - Sunday, March 8
First Pitch 1 p.m. CST
OU Starter TBA
UCLA Starter TBA
Live Audio All-Access/Soonersports.com
Live Video All-Access/Soonersports.com
PLAYER TO WATCH - CASEY JOHNSON
The sophomore left fielder is coming off a 5-for-9 day with seven RBIs in a doubleheader against Arkansas Little Rock on Tuesday. Johnson has eight hits in the last six games after starting the year with four hits in the first six contests.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
This weekends’ games will be broadcast live on the internet via Oklahoma All-Access, SoonerSports.com’s premium paid site, with Chuck Kelly calling the play-by-play. A live webcast will be available for Saturday and Sunday’s contests.
TICKETS
Seats remain for this weekend’s game and gates will open 90 minutes prior to first pitch. Tickets are available at the gate, online or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 456-GoOU. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday on the plaza level of the Asp Avenue parking garage.
PROMOTIONS
On Saturday, fans that present their ticket stub from the men’s basketball game against Oklahoma State will receive $4 admission. And the first 250 fans will receive schedule magnets and the team will sign autographs, weather permitting ... On Sunday, the first 250 fans will receive OU beanies and season ticket holders will receive a special gift and can attend an appreciation event inside the new indoor practice facility. After the game, kids can run the bases, weather permitting.
UP NEXT
The Sooners close out the eight-game home stand with three midweek games. OU hosts Cal on Monday, March 9 at 1 p.m. and then hosts Houston Baptist for a two-game set on March 10-11. Both games are slated to start at 3 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
The Sooners swept their third doubleheader of the season with a pair of wins over visiting Arkansas Little Rock on Tuesday, March 3. OU won game one, 11-7, and then topped the Trojans in the night cap, 16-6, in eight innings.
SCORING RUNS
The Sooners have scored 10 or more runs in seven of the 12 games this season with a 11-plus runs average per contest. OU is 7-0 when they score 10-plus runs in a game in 2009. In addition, the Sooners are averaging 13 hits per game with 10 or more hits in all but three games. The Sooners are 8-1 when they connect for 10-plus hits in a contest.
OU IN BIG 12 RANKS
The Sooners can be found up and down the Big 12 statistics released on March 5. The Sooners’ offense leads all conference teams in batting average (.364), runs (133), hits (156), doubles (33), triples (8), homers (17) and RBIs (120).
ONE-TWO PUNCH
Individually, Bryant Hernandez ranks first in batting average (.523), second in hits (23), runs (20) and doubles (5) and fifth in slugging percentage (.818). Jamie Johnson is not far behind as he ranks third in batting average (.490), first in slugging percentage (1.020), hits (24), triples (3) and runs (25) and second in doubles (5)..
JOHNSON LEADS OFF
Jamie Johnson has been highly successful as OU’s leadoff hitter this season and for a majority of 2008. So far in 2009, Johnson has already equaled his home run total of five from a year ago. Five of Johnson’s 10 career bombs, have led off a game, including three this season.
BAKER WALKING
Aaron Baker leads the Big 12 in walks with 14 on the season. The total was boosted on Tuesday during game one of the Arkansas Little Rock doubleheader. Baker walked four times in that game, a first for a Sooner since Feb. 21, 2004 when Eric Thornton was also issued four walks.
DOYLE AS THE NO. 1
Andrew Doyle has settled into his No. 1 spot in OU’s rotation since making five starts in that role last season. After two starts in 2009 series openers, Doyle is 1-1 with 14 strikeouts (fourth in Big 12) in 13 innings pitched. In his seven career starts on Friday night, which includes the openers in the Big 12 Tourney and NCAA Regional in 2008, Doyle is averaging 5.4 strikeouts and 6 1/3 innings pitched per start.
THE BIG INNING
The Sooners have hit through the batting order on eight occasions this year and scored five or more runs in seven different frames. OU is 5-1 when the plate five or more runs in a game. The Sooners had two big innings in game three of the Western Illinois series and lost the second game of the San Diego series.
SOONER DEBUTS
Several newcomers have enjoyed successful debuts for Oklahoma in 2009. Half of the position players recorded a hit in their first game but none were bigger than freshman Cameron Seitzer’s three-run homer in his debut. Not only did the long ball come in his first game, but in his first collegiate at-bat. On the mound, four of the six hurlers blanked the opposition in their first appearance and Jason Chowning posted a win in his first outing.
