No. 16 Oklahoma continued its dominant start to the 2025 season, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Cal State Northridge (CSUN) on Sunday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The win completed a three-game sweep of the Matadors and improved the Sooners to 11-0 on the season, their best start since the program-record 16-0 run in 2011.
Sooners Rally Late to Stay Perfect
Oklahoma faced an early 2-0 deficit but clawed back with timely hitting and another stellar showing from the bullpen. Junior Dawson Willis played hero in the seventh inning, delivering an RBI double that tied the game before scoring the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice. Closer Dylan Crooks sealed the deal with two scoreless innings, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth to notch his third save of the year.
Johnson Sets the Tone on the Mound
Left-hander Cameron Johnson put the Sooners in a position to win with a strong 5 1/3-inning performance. The southpaw allowed just two runs on three hits while striking out four and working around four walks. Johnson’s ability to pitch out of trouble was crucial, as he stranded the bases loaded in both the first and fourth innings, limiting CSUN’s offensive damage.
CSUN managed to scratch across the game’s first run in the fourth inning when Andrew Becker executed a safety squeeze to bring home Matthew Pena. The Matadors added another run in the sixth on an RBI single from Elijah Fairchild, prompting head coach Skip Johnson to make a pitching change.
Offense Breaks Through in the Sixth and Seventh
After struggling to solve CSUN starter Diego Gutierrez early, the Sooners finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Jaxon Willits and junior Easton Carmichael set the table with back-to-back singles, and redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly to center field.
In the seventh, Oklahoma’s offense struck again. Junior Brayden Horton worked a leadoff walk, setting the stage for Willis to deliver a clutch RBI double off the center-field wall. Two batters later, junior Trey Gambill grounded into a fielder’s choice, allowing Willis to cross the plate for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Bullpen Shuts the Door
With Johnson exiting in the sixth, right-hander Jason Bodin entered and delivered 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits and striking out one. The veteran Crooks then took over in the eighth and navigated a tense ninth inning to preserve the win. After issuing two walks to start the final frame, Crooks settled down and recorded the last two outs, punctuated by a game-ending lineout to left field.
Oklahoma’s Hot Start Continues
The Sooners outscored the Matadors 22-4 over the weekend and have yet to allow an opponent to score more than four runs in a game this season. Their 11-0 record matches the third-best start in program history, tying the 1984 squad.
Head coach Skip Johnson praised his team’s resilience and their ability to execute in pressure situations.
“These guys play with passion,” Johnson said. “When they play hard and leave everything on the field, you can go home knowing you gave it everything you had. That’s what it takes to win games like these.”
What’s Next for the Sooners?
Oklahoma will hit the road for a midweek showdown against No. 19 Dallas Baptist on Tuesday night. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT as the Sooners look to continue their historic start to the season against a formidable opponent.
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