Oklahoma drops KU, wins first Big 12 series

Sooner bats heat up behind Tanner Tredaway, Tyler Hardman, Peyton Graham and Jimmy Crooks, and Braden Carmichael shuts down the Jayhawks

NORMAN — Oklahoma took apart Kansas 14-3 on Sunday at L. Dale Mitchell Park, earning its first series victory in Big 12 Conference play this season with a run-rule victory.

OU rolled behind a four-hit day from Tanner Tredaway, home runs by Tyler Hardman and Peyton Graham, and a strong pitching performance by left-hander Braden Carmichael.

Carmichael pitched 5 2/3 innings, scattered eight hits and allowed just three runs with six strikeouts. Luke Taggart was perfect over the final 1 1/3 innings.

Peyton Graham :: Joshua R. Gateley / OU Athletics

Graham drove in four runs while Hardman and Jimmy Crooks had three each for the Sooners (16-15 overall, 3-6 Big 12). Hardman and Crooks also delivered three hits each, while Graham went 2-for-4.

Kansas (18-13, 2-7) fell behind 5-0 in the third inning, then 8-0 in the fourth. After KU got a run back in the fifth, the Sooners scored six to make it 14-1 heading into the sixth.

Tredaway’s RBI double in the third scored Conor McKenna and got OU on the scoreboard, and Crooks’ sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Graham’s single to left brought home Hardman and Diego Muniz, and Brandon Zaragoza’s RBI single to right plated Brett Squires.

In the fourth, Crooks drove home Tredaway with a double, and Hardman blasted a two-run shot to right to score Crooks and up the lead to 8-0.

In the fifth, Crooks’ single up the middle scored McKenna for a 9-1 lead, and Hardman’s single scored Tredaway to make it 10-1. Squires’ triple to right brought home Muniz and Crooks for a 12-1 lead, and Graham’s home run to left center scored Squires and made it 14-1.

OU plays two midweek home games against Texas Southern this week (Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday at 4) before hitting the road next weekend for a three-game series at Kansas State. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.