The No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners held off a late rally by Sam Houston to secure a 6-5 victory in the series opener on Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Despite a three-run ninth inning from the Bearkats, the Sooners improved to 12-1 on the season behind a dominant pitching performance from Kyson Witherspoon and timely hitting throughout the lineup.
Witherspoon Dominates on the Mound
Oklahoma’s ace, Kyson Witherspoon (4-0), continued his dominant start to the season, delivering another electric performance. The right-hander struck out 12 batters over five innings while allowing just one run on a single hit. His stretch from the first to the fourth inning was particularly remarkable, as he set a program record by striking out 10 consecutive Bearkats.
“Just kind of in the zone,” Witherspoon said postgame. “I kind of realized the level of the situation (striking out ten straight), but I just kept sticking to my process and taking it one pitch at a time.”
His efforts set the tone early, allowing the Sooners to build a lead that ultimately proved insurmountable.
Sooners’ Bats Come Alive
After being shut out earlier in the week against Dallas Baptist, the Sooners’ offense got back on track in the fourth inning. Easton Carmichael broke the deadlock with a solo home run to right field, putting Oklahoma on the board and igniting the offense.
Sam Houston responded in the fifth with an RBI squeeze bunt by Blake Brown to even the score at 1-1, but Oklahoma answered right back in the bottom half of the inning. Jaxon Willits doubled to bring home Dasan Harris, followed by a Trey Gambill double that extended the Sooners’ lead to 3-1.
In the sixth inning, the Sooners capitalized on a two-out error from the Bearkats. Harris came through with a clutch two-run single through the right side, making it 5-1.
“Big hit by Dasan Harris to really separate the game,” head coach Skip Johnson said. “That was really huge.”
After a Sam Houston sacrifice fly in the seventh cut the deficit to 5-2, Oklahoma tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single by Gambill to push the lead to 6-2.
Sam Houston’s Late Push Falls Short
The Sooners appeared to be in full control entering the ninth inning, but the Bearkats refused to go quietly. A leadoff double by Easton Dean sparked a rally, followed by a two-run triple from Addison Smith that trimmed the deficit to 6-4. Jace Martinez then doubled home Smith, bringing Sam Houston within one run.
With the tying run on base, Oklahoma turned to closer Dylan Crooks, who induced a game-ending groundout to secure the win and earn his fourth save of the season.
“I thought Crooks was good,” Johnson said. “He calmed himself down and made some quality pitches.”
Looking Ahead
The series schedule has been adjusted due to inclement weather, with Saturday’s game postponed. The teams will now play a doubleheader on Sunday, with the first game beginning at noon. The second game will follow approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first and will be shortened to seven innings. Both games will be available to watch on ESPN+.
The Sooners, now back in the win column, will look to secure another series victory before turning their attention to their inaugural SEC schedule. With Witherspoon continuing to shine and the offense finding its rhythm, Oklahoma is positioning itself as a formidable contender moving forward in the 2025 season.
“It kind of lit a fire under us,” Witherspoon said about Oklahoma’s first loss of the season. “Like ‘we’re not going to let that happen again.’ Just time to go back to competing.”
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