NORMAN — Mac James laced a two-out single to center field to score Matt Oberste and give Oklahoma a 9-8 victory over Oral Roberts in 15 innings Tuesday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The victory was OU’s sixth straight and lifted it to 18-4 on the season. The Golden Eagles dipped to 5-14 after losing their 10th straight.
Jacob Evans (2-0) picked up the victory. He threw the final five innings, holding Oral Roberts scoreless and giving up three hits.
Taylor Tryon (0-1) threw the final 22⁄3 innings. He got out of jams in the 13th and 14th innings.
The 15th was the one he couldn’t escape.
Oberste scored the game-winning run on a night he went 4 for 6. Hunter Haley also went 4 for 6 and drove in two runs.
Logan Domenico went 3 for 5 with two RBIs to lead the Golden Eagles.
OU rallied from four runs down heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Hunter Haley drilled a two-run triple to cut the deficit to 8-6.
In the seventh inning, Oberste scored on a wild pitch, and Max White came home on an error by Oral Roberts’ shortstop Nate Goro.
The Sooners pieced their pitching staff together for the opener of the two-game series. Freshman Corey Copping, who hasn’t pitched in a month due to a shoulder strain, made his first appearance since the third game of the season. He only threw the first inning. He walked two but struck out three.
Things got interesting from there.
The Sooners jumped out to a four-run lead in the first inning. A little bit of everything did the damage. Craig Aikin scored on a fielder’s choice, and Max White scored on a wild pitch. The only hit that produced a run came on Hector Lorenzana’s RBI single to score Matt Oberste. Anthony Hermelyn brought in another run on a squeeze bunt that plated Garrett Carey.
However, the Golden Eagles responded with six runs in the second inning after feasting on the Sooners’ bullpen.
Kyle Hayes gave up two hits and walked two more to start the inning. His last pitch was a bases-loaded walk for Brandon Healy. Hayes was charged with all four runs after Kindle Ladd allowed three more hits and two runs to cross before he was pulled.
The teams return to L. Dale Mitchell Park at 6:30 tonight for the series finale.
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