OU Athletics Communications
NORMAN – The No. 22 Oklahoma baseball team dropped its season opener 6-3 to Nebraska Omaha Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Sooners (0-1) and Mavericks (1-0) conclude the series Monday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. First pitch is set for noon.
OU scored all three of its runs in the sixth inning, but four errors led to three unearned runs for the visitors. Omaha scored two runs in the third, seventh and ninth innings.
Oklahoma starter Wyatt Olds went 4.0 innings and allowed one earned run and one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks. Dalton Fowler (0-1) struck out four batters over 2.2 relief innings and allowed two runs in the loss. UNO’s Josiah Scott (1-0) allowed one walk and no hits in one inning of relief to earn the win.
The Sooners knocked three straight singles to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Left fielder Breydon Daniel led off with a walk and scored on a base hit by pinch hitter Diego Muniz. Second baseman Conor McKenna followed with a drive down the right field line that scored third baseman Peyton Graham, tying the game at 2-all. Catcher Justin Mitchell put OU in front with a base hit to right field that plated Muniz.
The Mavericks went ahead 2-0 in the third inning when a leadoff single and two errors led to two RBI groundouts. In the seventh, a throwing error and an RBI triple by center fielder Garrett Kennedy gave UNO the lead again at 4-3. A walk, a fielding error and two wild pitches allowed two more runs in the ninth to make the score 6-3.
OU threatened in the eighth and ninth innings. The Sooners put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth after Graham (2 for 4 with two singles) hit a leadoff single and pinch hitter Jimmy Crooks drew a walk. Shortstop Brandon Zaragoza (hit-by-pitch) and center fielder Tanner Tredaway (walk) reached to start the ninth, but a double play and a strikeout ended the game. Tredaway began the first inning with a single to center and stole second base. He also walked twice, reaching base in three of his five at bats.