Junior Easton Carmichael delivered in the clutch Tuesday night, dropping a walk-off single into right field to give No. 10 Oklahoma a dramatic 7-6 victory over UT Arlington at L. Dale Mitchell Park. With the win, the Sooners improved to 18-2 on the season and remained perfect at home (13-0) heading into their first SEC home series against Mississippi State this weekend.
Late-Game Heroics Seal the Win
The Mavericks (6-11) refused to go down quietly, tying the game in the top of the ninth on a solo home run from Austin Phillips. With the score knotted at six, Oklahoma needed someone to step up. Enter Carmichael. After Jason Walk singled up the middle to put the winning run aboard, Carmichael came through, roping a single into right field to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
“It was a tough night to pitch. It’s a tough night to play,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson. “You get in late, have a day off, are on spring break, and then have to play a Tuesday game after a weekend series. It’s really tough. But I thought they played with passion all night long. We had some big hits in key moments.”
Sooners Respond After Early Deficit
After a scoreless first inning, UT Arlington jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second, capitalizing on a two-run single from Phillips and an RBI groundout. Oklahoma starter Cameron Johnson struggled with his command, walking four batters and allowing three runs before being relieved by sophomore left-hander Gavyn Jones, who quickly ended the threat with a double play and a strikeout.
Oklahoma responded in the bottom of the second when senior Scott Mudler ripped a two-run double off the left-field wall, cutting the deficit to 3-2. However, UT Arlington extended its lead to 4-2 in the third, thanks to a leadoff solo homer from Tyce Armstrong off Jones.
That lead wouldn’t last long. Walk led off the bottom of the third with a solo blast to left, his second home run in as many games. Later in the inning, junior Dayton Tockey launched a two-run shot to right field, putting the Sooners ahead for the first time, 5-4.
Oklahoma added insurance in the fifth when Jaxon Willits continued his scorching hot season, belting his team-leading sixth home run, a solo shot to left, to make it 6-4.
Mavericks Battle Back
UT Arlington chipped away at Oklahoma’s lead, cutting it to 6-5 in the sixth with an RBI single from junior Larry Haskins. The Sooners’ bullpen managed to hold the one-run edge until the ninth, when Phillips crushed a game-tying solo homer off senior Reid Hensley, silencing the Oklahoma faithful—at least momentarily.
But this Oklahoma team has made a habit of delivering in crunch time, and they did it again on Tuesday night.
Willits Shines in Career Performance
Willits was unstoppable at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a single, triple, home run, and three runs scored. He finished just a double shy of the cycle, continuing his impressive sophomore campaign.
“I think it’s the adversity that they’ve really responded to more so than anything,” Johnson said. “They’re really starting to take it pitch by pitch. If they continue to slow the game down in big moments, this is what happens.”
Five different Sooners registered multi-hit games, while five players drove in at least one run. Tockey went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, and Mudler collected two extra-base hits, including his first career triple in a Sooners uniform.
Pitching Staff Uses Committee Approach
Oklahoma used six different arms in the contest, with each pitcher recording at least one strikeout. Hensley (1-0) earned his first win in two seasons, despite allowing the game-tying homer in the ninth. The senior rebounded, shutting down the Mavericks to keep the game even before Carmichael’s heroics.
Johnson’s night was short-lived, as the lefty lasted just one inning, surrendering three runs on two hits and four walks. Jones, Michael Catalano, Jackson Kircher, and Jaden Barfield combined for 6.1 innings of relief before handing the ball to Hensley for the final two frames.
Catalano was particularly impressive, striking out four straight batters upon entering the game before tweaking his ankle covering first base. Jones and Hensley each allowed a solo home run, but with the wind blowing out at L. Dale Mitchell Park, that was an acceptable trade-off.
Up Next: SEC Play in Norman
The Sooners now shift their focus back to conference play, as they welcome Mississippi State to Norman for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. This marks Oklahoma’s first-ever SEC home series, and expectations are high as they look to continue their hot start to the season.
Fans can watch the series on SECN+ and listen on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide via The Varsity Network app.
With an offense that continues to find timely hits and a bullpen that grinds out tough innings, Oklahoma looks primed for the SEC gauntlet ahead. If Tuesday’s walk-off win proved anything, it’s that this Sooner squad is never out of a game.
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