Squires, Sooners rediscover groove at the plate
NORMAN — The Sooners' bats caught fire last week.
OU went 3-1 with a pair of baseball wins over Pacific, a victory over Texas Tech and a loss to Lamar. The team averaged 10.5 runs per game, which marks its highest average in a week's worth of contests all season.
Here are three takeaways from last week's action:
Brett Squires is a slugger
Texas Tech pitcher Austin Becker emerged from the bullpen with the goal of protecting his team's lead.
The Red Raiders held a 2-0 edge over the Sooners on Tuesday in the top of the fourth inning when Becker faced his first batter, Brett Squires.
One pitch was all it took as Squires crushed the ball for a solo home run.
That sparked a four-run inning for the Sooners, who went on to a 14-9 win at Hodgetown Stadium in Amarillo, Texas.
It was one of two home runs for Squires on the day. He finished 5-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs.
Squires has been in a league of his own as of late. The redshirt junior is the only Sooner with a batting average above .400 (.415) and the only one with a slugging percentage above .600 (.707).
Jake Bennett's struggles continue
OU found itself at the mercy of Lamar's bats in the top of the fifth inning on Friday.
The Cardinals had placed three runs on the board to take a 6-0 lead, and yet Sooners head coach Skip Johnson didn't replace pitcher Jake Bennett.
OU's pitcher was given a chance to work himself out of the jam as he searched for the final out against Kirkland Banks. Banks instead sent a shot into left field for an RBI single that extended Lamar's lead to 7-0.
That marked the end of the day for Bennett, who gave up seven runs and nine hits in just under five innings.
Bennett entered Big 12 play with a conference-best 0.90 ERA, but his last three outings have been a struggle. He has allowed 19 runs in just over 15 innings, and his ERA has ballooned to 3.93.
OU's bullpen gets production from its supporting cast
Numerous OU pitchers showed out last week. Cade Horton looked poised on the mound during the team's 7-3 win over Pacific on Thursday. He allowed one hit and no runs in four innings.
David Sandlin also held it down during OU's 10-2 win over Pacific on Saturday. He only surrendered one run and tallied five strikeouts in six innings.
Pitching consistency has been an issue all season for a Sooners squad that ranks eighth in the Big 12 in overall ERA (5.53). While Bennett began the campaign as the backbone of the bullpen, it'll be crucial for OU's supporting cast to step up while its ace is experiencing a slump.