The Oklahoma Sooners baseball team continued its dominant start to the 2025 season, securing a 10-2 victory over Cal State Northridge on Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. With the win, the No. 16-ranked Sooners improved to 10-0 on the year, marking their best start since the 2013 season. The victory also clinched the weekend series against the Matadors, showcasing the team’s depth in both pitching and hitting.
Sooners’ Offense Fires on All Cylinders
Oklahoma’s offense was relentless on Saturday, recording 15 hits and scoring in six of their eight innings. First baseman Dayton Tockey led the charge with a career-best 4-for-4 performance, driving in two runs and scoring three times. His stellar day at the plate raised his season batting average to an impressive .448.
“I was seeing the ball well,” Tockey said postgame. “Our preparation with our coaches has been key. This coaching staff and my teammates make the game so much fun. We’re just a bunch of guys playing baseball and having a great time.”
Jaxon Willits, Jason Walk, and Dawson Willis also had standout performances, each contributing to the Sooners’ high-powered offensive attack. Walk extended his season-long hitting streak to 10 games, proving to be a reliable table-setter at the top of the lineup. Oklahoma swiped five bases in the game, using aggressive baserunning to keep pressure on CSUN’s pitching staff.
Witherspoon Delivers Another Strong Start
Oklahoma’s success this season has largely been fueled by its strong starting pitching, and Saturday was no exception. Right-hander Malachi Witherspoon (2-0) tossed five innings, allowing just one unearned run on six hits while striking out four. He worked out of multiple jams, including a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the second inning, showcasing his poise on the mound.
“I thought Malachi threw really well,” head coach Skip Johnson said. “He wanted that fifth inning, and I gave it to him. He gutted it out, which was huge for us. I really believe he’s going to keep improving with each start.”
Following Witherspoon’s solid outing, the Sooners’ bullpen kept CSUN at bay. Jamie Hitt, Michael Catalano, Jaden Barfield, and Jackson Kircher combined for four innings of one-run relief. Kircher made his collegiate debut in the ninth inning, striking out the side to seal the win.
Game Recap: Scoring Summary
- 1st Inning: Oklahoma jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Jaxon Willits delivered an RBI single to score Jason Walk, who led off with a base hit.
- 2nd Inning: Dayton Tockey tripled off the right-field wall and scored on a perfectly placed bunt single by Dawson Willis, extending the lead to 2-0.
- 3rd Inning: Trey Gambill led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Tockey’s two-out RBI single, giving OU a 3-0 advantage.
- 4th Inning: CSUN scratched across its first run, but Oklahoma responded with a two-run single up the middle from Easton Carmichael, making it 5-1.
- 5th Inning: Tockey stayed hot, driving in another run before scoring on a groundout by Scott Mulder to push the lead to 7-1.
- 7th Inning: The Sooners put the game further out of reach with a three-run inning, highlighted by RBI doubles from Willis and Walk.
- 8th Inning: CSUN added a late run, but it wasn’t nearly enough as Oklahoma cruised to the 10-2 final score.
Key Performances
- Dayton Tockey (OU): 4-for-4, 2 RBIs, 3 runs, triple
- Jaxon Willits (OU): 2-for-5, 2 RBIs, run
- Jason Walk (OU): 2-for-5, 2 RBIs, run (10-game hitting streak)
- Malachi Witherspoon (OU): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 K, 1 BB
- Jackson Kircher (OU): 1.0 IP, 3 K (collegiate debut)
Looking Ahead
The Sooners will look to complete the three-game sweep of CSUN on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. Left-hander Cameron Johnson is set to take the mound for Oklahoma as they aim to improve to 11-0 and maintain their perfect start to the season.
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