Special to The Eagle
NORMAN, Okla. -- A trio of Oklahoma pitchers held Texas A&M to two hits as the 13th-ranked Sooners shut out the 16th-ranked Aggies 9-0 on Saturday to clinch the series and improve their chances of hosting an NCAA regional in two weeks.
Oklahoma (39-16, 16-10 Big 12) can clinch second place in the Big 12 if it beats A&M in Sunday's 1 p.m. regular-season finale.
A&M (34-20, 14-12) lost for the fourth time in five league games and will be seeded fifth or sixth for the Big 12 tournament later this week in Oklahoma City.
"We've won seven [series] in two out of the last four years," OU coach Sunny Golloway said in a school release. "So I am proud of these young men. It's not an easy feat, I promise you. It is a grind every weekend in the Big 12."
OU starter Michael Rocha gave up only two singles and a walk in six innings. Relievers Chase Anderson and Antwonie Hubbard combined for three scoreless innings.
Rocha has not allowed a run in 12 innings with 12 strikeouts. It was his first start since March 29 against Nebraska.
"We saw what we needed to see last Friday in Tulsa [against Oklahoma State]," Golloway said. "He came in relief of [Stephen] Porlier and threw six innings. We were driving back from Tulsa last Friday and said there's are No. 2 or No. 3 starter. I think we picked him for the right spot."
OU banged out 13 hits as Casey Johnson had three along with three RBIs, and Aaron Baker added three hits, two runs and two RBIs. OU scored in five of the first six innings.
A&M freshman right-hander Ross Hales (5-2) gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He pitched a three-hit shutout at Texas last weekend to earn Big 12 pitcher of the week.
OU took a 1-0 lead on J.T. Wise's sacrifice fly. The big hit was a bloop double by Bryant Hernandez on a 3-2 pitch behind first base. The ball landed just fair and just past the infield dirt, then scooted into foul territory.
Wise made it 2-0 in the third with a two-out bouncer through the left side of the infield.
Trey Sperring made it 3-0 in the fourth with a seeing-eye single through a drawn-in infield. An error and hit batter helped OU add two runs in the fifth.
OU had six two-out hits, while A&M had only one.
"Today was about manufacturing runs," Golloway said. "Our guys are committed to do whatever we have to do to score runs. This team has been terrific at two outs and scoring runs."
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