No. 12 Oklahoma suffered its second loss of the season on Saturday as the Sooners fell 11-5 to South Carolina in a game that saw the Gamecocks capitalize on key opportunities. With the win, South Carolina (16-4, 1-1 SEC) evened the series, setting up a decisive rubber match on Sunday afternoon.
Early Offensive Momentum for Oklahoma
The Sooners (16-2, 1-1 SEC) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. After right-handed pitcher Malachi Witherspoon struck out the side in the first inning, Oklahoma jumped ahead in the second. Freshman Kyle Branch and Drew Dickerson drew back-to-back walks, setting the stage for Scott Mudler, who delivered an RBI single to put OU up 1-0.
South Carolina quickly responded in the bottom of the second when third baseman KJ Scobey launched a towering home run to left field, tying the game at 1-1. It was only the third home run allowed by Witherspoon in five starts this season, but it signaled the beginning of an offensive onslaught by the Gamecocks.
Willits’ Blast Gives Sooners the Lead Again
Oklahoma regained the lead in the third inning behind the bat of sophomore shortstop Jaxon Willits. With one runner on, Willits crushed a two-run homer to left field, his fifth of the season, giving the Sooners a 3-1 advantage.
However, South Carolina refused to let Oklahoma maintain control. The Gamecocks chipped away in the bottom half of the third with an RBI single, closing the gap to 3-2. With the bases loaded, Witherspoon induced a critical double play to escape further damage and preserve OU’s lead heading into the fourth inning.
Gamecocks Take Control with Big Fourth and Fifth Innings
The fourth inning proved to be a turning point in the game. South Carolina’s Kennedy Jones led off with a monstrous home run to tie the contest at 3-3. The Gamecocks then loaded the bases with two outs, and Dalton Mashore delivered a clutch two-run single to give South Carolina its first lead of the series at 5-3.
Oklahoma responded with a sacrifice fly from Kyle Branch in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4, but the Gamecocks had more in store.
The bottom of the fifth saw South Carolina break the game open. After Witherspoon allowed a leadoff walk, OU head coach Skip Johnson opted to bring in Michael Catalano from the bullpen. The Gamecocks took advantage of the pitching change as Jones’ double put runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly from Jase Woita extended the lead to 6-4. Following a walk, Jordan Carrion laced an RBI single to left, followed by a two-run double from Nathan Hall that widened the margin to 9-4.
Witherspoon (2-1) took his first loss of the season, surrendering six earned runs on seven hits in four innings while striking out five.
South Carolina’s Bullpen Shuts Down Sooners
Oklahoma had a few late opportunities but couldn’t cash in against South Carolina’s bullpen. The Sooners managed a run in the eighth on a wild pitch that scored Mudler, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.
Meanwhile, South Carolina continued to pad its lead, adding insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings. A lengthy at-bat in the seventh resulted in an RBI single from Henry Kaczmar, and Jones capped off his stellar day with an RBI double in the eighth, bringing the final score to 11-5.
Key Performances
- Jaxon Willits (OU): 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Scott Mudler (OU): 2-for-4, RBI, R
- Malachi Witherspoon (OU): 4.0 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 5 K, 3 BB
- Kennedy Jones (USC): 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
- Dalton Mashore (USC): 2-for-4, 2 RBI
- Jake McCoy (USC): 5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 6 K
- Tyler Pitzer (USC): 4.0 IP, 0 H, 6 K (Save)
What’s Next?
With the series tied 1-1, Oklahoma and South Carolina will meet for the decisive third game on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT. The start time was adjusted due to anticipated weather conditions in Columbia.
Fans can watch the game on SEC Network+ and listen on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or via The Varsity Network app.
The Sooners will look to bounce back and claim their first SEC series win, while the Gamecocks aim to secure back-to-back victories and establish momentum as conference play continues.
Quote from Skip Johnson:
“We had some opportunities early, but they took advantage of their chances better than we did. Credit to them for making big plays. We have to come out tomorrow ready to fight for the series.”
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