Midweek Baseball Preview: OU vs. Dallas Baptist

By Kaden Boyd

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Coming off an impressive weekend in Arlington leaving 2-1, the Sooners look to get just one more win before heading home to play Wright State this weekend. Oklahoma will stay in the Dallas area to face Dallas Baptist who ended their weekend with a sweep against Southeast Missouri State going 3-0. Coming into this matchup, Oklahoma leads the all time series with a 26-16 record, though the series was split last season. Oklahoma has tended to struggle on the road when playing Dallas Baptist with last year's win at Horner Ballpark being the first win we have seen since 2010. Knowing this, Dallas Baptist is no pushover by any means. 

Going into this midweek game, it has been announced that University of Pacific transfer Grant Stevens will be getting the ball for his Sooner debut. This is a solid matchup for the left-hander from Elk Grove, California and he will be tested against a talented Dallas Baptist squad that will give us a look on how he will be able to fill his role in the pitching staff. Stevens last year had a record of 4-7 while also putting up a 5.19 ERA through 86.2 innings. I feel like out of the pen against Dallas Baptist we will not see as many arms due to the fact that we play a 4 game series this weekend. However, I do think that if we were to see any arms come out of the pen it would be guys like Dylan Crooks and Jace Miner who both were called upon in minimal roles this past weekend in the Shriners Classic. 

On the Dallas Baptist side, it looks like we will be seeing the right hand pitcher Nick Wilson. Wilson is a Fifth Year senior who saw some action this past weekend against Southeast Missouri State. Wilson went 3.2 innings with 5 strikeouts, 1 walk, and allowed no runs or hits. Wilson ended last season with a 6-2 record while putting up a 3.22 ERA. 

Oklahoma’s offense is coming into this matchup with bats hot, and the “chaous” in full effect. Something that I noticed this past weekend that really excites me for this season, but especially this matchup is that we are much more aggressive at the plate. Really not sure how that is possible, but you tell me another team that is willing to put a bunt down with anyone in the lineup 1-9, and then steal a base, because that is what we saw this past weekend in Arlington and it was BEAUTIFUL. 

The key player that Sooner Nation should keep an eye out on for this midweek game against Dallas Baptist would be Bryce Madron. Coming out of a weekend going 2-13 while making solid contact in almost every at bat, it is only a matter of time before Bryce has himself a day. I think that day comes sooner rather than later and we will see it in this midweek game against Dallas Baptist.