Sooners looking for strong start this weekend
Sooners to watch
Oklahoma lost its biggest offensive cog last season — Sheldon Neuse —but returns plenty, especially on the offensive side. On the mound, the Sooners return just more than 43 percent of their innings from last year. The Sooners to watch: The leading returning home run man on the team with eight last season in just 44 games set an OU freshman record with a .592 slugging percentage last year.
The lefty is versatile, starting all around the infield last year, and earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention by hitting .278 with a .401 on-base percentage and 29 RBIs.
The former Moore High standout was 3-1 with a 3.77 ERA last season, throwing a seven-inning complete game against Texas Tech in an elimination game in the Big
12 Tournament.
Hollas was perhaps Oklahoma’s best defensive outfielder a year ago, starting 30 games there.
The 6-foot-5 Irvin was 6-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 51 strikeouts last season and figures to be an anchor of the weekend rotation.
The twosport star can cover a lot of ground in the outfield with his speed.
The lone player on the roster from coach Pete Hughes’ first season in 2014, the Owasso native has 104 career hits with 10 home runs.
After recording four saves with a 2.03 ERA in innings last year, Olson will start the season as the Sooners’ closer.
Like Hollas a left-hand hitter, Walker hit .290 with a .414 slugging percentage as a freshman a year ago. OU baseball: at a glance
Pete Hughes, fourth season (93-83-1, 32-40 Big 12)
30-27-1, 11-13 Big
12 (5th)
The Sooners were originally scheduled to begin the season in Southern California, at Long Beach State, but rain and expected flooding moved the series to Norman. The change gives Oklahoma a scheduled 19-game homestand to start the season. The Dirtbags beat the Sooners 2-1 in a series last year in Norman.
Dominic DeRenzo was one of Oklahoma’s better hitters last year before being shut down late in the season and undergoing Tommy John surgery. DeRenzo has been cleared to hit and figures to serve as a designated hitter this weekend, but OU coaches hope he’ll be able to play the outfield soon.
It’s unclear how long it will take for him to return to catching.
Sheldon Neuse leaves a big hole to fill in several spots. The shortstop had a 1.111 OPS last season with 48 RBIs and 10 home runs and was the Sooners’ most effective reliever, with five saves and a 1.40 ERA in innings.
Kyler Murray hasn’t played baseball for a year and a half as he’s concentrated on football, but the former middle infielder has transitioned to the outfield, where he gives the Sooners a speedy defender.
At the plate, Murray has worked to get his stroke back with success so far, though he figures to keep improving as the season progresses.
With DeRenzo coming back from injury, the Sooners still return plenty of experience behind the plate even before DeRenzo can play the position. Renae Martinez took over after DeRenzo went down and should be the primary catcher early with Chandler Wagoner also seeing time. But they’ll be pushed by freshman Brady Lindsly, a left-handed catcher whose bat will force Pete Hughes to find a place for him in the lineup.
Bixby product Joey Zurawik joined the Sooners a year ago after a stint in junior college but had to sit out after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Zurawik’s fastball has returned, with the 5-foot-10 righty reaching into the mid-90s. In just
innings of summer ball, Zurawik struck out eight.
Entering Hughes’ fourth season, the Sooners are still looking for a postseason berth.
Oklahoma was forced to play plenty of freshmen last year, leading to some growing pains, but that experience could pay off in 2017. TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are clearly the top three programs in the Big 12, but the Sooners could challenge.