The Oklahoma Sooners continued their strong start to the season with a 3-2 victory over Minnesota in their opening game of the Round Rock Classic. Junior right-hander Kyson Witherspoon delivered a career-best performance on the mound, striking out 12 batters while issuing no walks over seven stellar innings.
Witherspoon Shines on the Mound
Witherspoon (2-0) was in command from the outset, surrendering just one run on three hits. After giving up a leadoff home run to Minnesota’s Josh Fitzgerald in the first inning, the Sooners’ ace locked in, retiring the next 13 batters before allowing a single in the fifth. His dominant outing set the tone for OU’s pitching staff, which allowed just two runs on six hits overall.
Senior relievers James Hitt and Dylan Crooks, along with freshman Michael Catalano, combined to shut the door in the late innings. Crooks earned the save by inducing a flyout to strand the potential tying run at second base in the ninth.
Sooners’ Offense Does Just Enough
Oklahoma (4-0) responded to Minnesota’s early lead in the fourth inning. Junior Trey Gambill reached on a hit-by-pitch and advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt before freshman Kyle Branch laced an RBI single to left, knotting the score at 1-1.
The Sooners pulled ahead in the fifth when redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen delivered an RBI single to left-center, scoring Jason Walk after his leadoff double. OU added an insurance run in the eighth after loading the bases, capitalizing on a balk by Minnesota pitcher Will Whelan to push the lead to 3-1.
Minnesota (1-3) fought back in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single from Easton Richter, cutting the deficit to one. However, Crooks shut the door in the ninth, securing Oklahoma’s fourth straight win.
Stat Leaders
- Oklahoma: Five different Sooners recorded a hit, with Walk and Dasan Harris both notching doubles.
- Minnesota: Six different Gophers registered hits, with Fitzgerald and Richter each collecting an RBI.
- Pitching: Witherspoon’s dominant seven-inning outing set the tone, while Crooks picked up the save. Minnesota’s Cole Selvig (1-1) took the loss despite striking out seven over 4.2 innings.
What’s Next?
The Sooners continue their Round Rock Classic campaign with a Saturday matchup against No. 7 Oregon State at 4 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed via subscription on D1Baseball.com and broadcast on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma, as well as nationwide on The Varsity app.
Stay tuned for more Oklahoma baseball coverage as the Sooners aim to build on their early-season momentum.
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