Sooners Rally To Top Pepperdine In Season Opener

News9.com

PEPPERDINE, California – On perhaps one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country, OU put together a beautiful little comeback to start the season off right.

The Sooners quickly fell behind to the Pepperdine Waves but rallied back for a 4-3 victory in the first game of the year on Friday.

Oklahoma, which comes into the season ranked No. 14 nationally, got down 2-0 but relied on some new faces to put spur a comeback.

Freshman catcher Hunter Lockwood and sophomore Matt Oberste, a transfer from Connors State, were responsible for the Sooners' first two runs of the season, tying the game up in the fourth inning.

In the next inning, junior Matt White put up a groundout RBI to give Oklahoma a 3-2 lead.

Pepperdine got back on the board in the bottom of the same inning, knotting the game at three runs apiece.

But once again the newcomers came through for OU as junior Garrett Carey, a junior college transfer from McLennan College, put a single up the middle to bring home Matt Oberste for the final 4-3 lead.

Dillon Overton went 4 2/3 innings on the mound for OU while Jordan John came in to record the victory, allowing just two hits in 3 1/3 innings.

OU coach Sunny Golloway said he wants John in the ballgame when the game is on the line.

"He doesn't care if he is the starting pitcher, today he came off the bench and got the win," Golloway said. "I thought he did a terrific job of neutralizing their bats, they have a good team. They are going to be tough at home, so we are going to have our hands full over these next two days, no doubt."

Oklahoma recorded a win in its season opener for the fourth straight year and will continue its three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Eddy D. Field Stadium.