Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma baseball: Mighty ‘Mo’ on Sooners’ side against visiting Kansas

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma infielder Dakota Harris (10) celebrates after home run during a college baseball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners at OÕBrate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.Bedlam Baseball
Oklahoma infielder Dakota Harris (10) celebrates after home run during a college baseball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners at OÕBrate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.Bedlam Baseball /
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Coming off a giant three-game series sweep on the road over archrival Texas last weekend, Oklahoma baseball hopes to carry that momentum into its home series this weekend against Kansas.

It is Kansas Jayhawk weekend in Norman this weekend as both the softball and baseball teams for both schools are in action at virtually the same times at Marita Hynes Field and L. Dale Mitchell Park. respectively.

The OU baseball team improved to above .500 overall (22-19) with the series sweep over previous Big 12 leader Texas. The Jayhawks (20-21, 5-10) are coming off a midweek 7-5 extra-inning win over a ranked Wichita State team. That win followed a three-game series sweep of the Jayhawks at home last weekend by Oklahoma State.

The Sooners moved out of the Big 12 cellar with the three wins over Texas. OU is currently 7-8 and in sixth place in the conference standings, with a two-game advantage over the 5-10 Jayhawks, who sit in ninth place.

Oklahoma is 145-79 all-time against Kansas in a series that dates back to 1906. The Sooners have won 10 of the last 11 meetings and are 65-29 when the two teams face each other in Norman.

What fans need to know about the OU baseball series with Kansas

  • Friday’s series opener has been moved up to a 12:30 afternoon game from the traditional Friday evening start because of inclement weather expected in the Norman area later in the day and evening. Game times for the weekend are 3 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
  • Kansas has three hitters in the lineup hitting above .300. The Jayhawks are led by freshman second baseman Kodey Shojinaga, who generally hits second in the order and is hitting .367 through all games but .410 in conference play. Chase Jans leads off for the Jayhawks with a batting average of .345, and third baseman Michael Brooks is hitting .300 for the season. Cole Elvis is the biggest long-ball threat in the KU lineup. He has 11 home runs, tied for fourth among the Big 12 leaders.
  • Oklahoma has four .300-plus hitters in its starting lineup. Shortstop Dakota Harris leads the Sooners in hitting with a .369 batting average. Freshman catcher Easton Carmichael is next with a .325 average. Anthony Mackenzie is hitting .323 average and outfielder Kendall Pettis is hitting .312. Outfielder Bryce Madron is the Sooners’ biggest long-ball threat with eight home runs and 34 runs driven in.
  • Left-handers Braden Carmichael (3-0, 2.98 ERA) and James Hitt (3-0, 4/17) and right-hander Braxton Douthit (4-2, 3.93) are the probable starters for Oklahoma in the Kansas series. Kansas will go with a pair of right-handed starters to open the series: graduate Collin Baumgartner (3-1, 4.59 ) will go on Friday and Sam Ireland (4-5, 6.08) on Saturday afternoon.
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