Norman — The lineup card in Oklahoma’s dugout looked like a to-do list after a long day Thursday. By the ninth inning, lots of names had been crossed out.
Those substitutions were why the Sooners rallied for a 5-4 victory over South Florida in the first day of the Sooner Classic at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
“Everybody off the bench was big again,” OU coach Sunny Golloway said after he used 18 position players and only three position players — second baseman Danny Black, third baseman Garrett Buechele and shortstop Caleb Bushyhead — played the whole game.
It’s nothing new for the Sooners (8-1). Through the first nine games they’ve used an average of 16 players per outing.
Golloway admits he might be over-managing this early in the season, but it also showed what the payoff can be in the late innings Thursday.
OU trailed 4-2 heading into the eighth inning and were well on their way to a lethargic performance.
South Florida starting pitcher Randy Fontanez gave up an RBI single to Buechele in the first inning and fielder’s choice to Cody Reine that brought home a run in the second. But South Florida’s ace had taken control in the middle innings.
The Bulls (1-7) gave him some run support and scratched out a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
Then Kaleb Herren came off the bench to face South Florida reliever Kyle Parker. Herren, who’s only played in six games this season, blasted a pitch deep over the left field wall to cut OU’s deficit to one.
It’s something the Sooners have come to expect in the first three weeks of the season.
“We’re so deep and have so many people and so many guys at different positions, that everyone comes to the field ready to play,” Herren said. “We have a lot of guys that can come off the bench and play in pressure situations.”
Herren’s blast re-ignited OU, which was in serious danger of having a two-game winning streak snapped.
But it carried over to the ninth.
Chad Kettler, who only had three at-bats prior to Thursday, came off the bench to smack a two-out, game-tying single to right field.
It was the last switch of the game, but one of many that paid off.
“There’s a lot of guys on this team that are just waiting to hit and help the team out any way we can,” Kettler said.
The game ended when Bushyhead drove in Buechele for the game-winning run.
Kevin Quackenbush (0-2) took the loss for South Florida (1-7). He got the Bulls out of the jam in eighth inning, but couldn’t seal the win in the ninth.
Jeremy Erben grabbed the win for OU. The senior right-hander held South Florida scoreless in the eighth and ninth inning to improve to 3-0.
The Sooners return to L. Dale Mitchell Park at 3 p.m. today to face Western Illinois in the second-game of the four-game rotation. They face South Florida again at 3 p.m. Saturday and wrap it up against Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Golloway expects the lineup card to continue to have many lines through it.
“We’re doing the right thing by giving all these guys opportunities,” he said. “We have a lot of talent. I wouldn’t be doing it justice if I didn’t give the opportunities to see who can do what.”
John Shinn 366-3536 jshinn@normantranscript.com
