Rivalry games don’t often end in mercy rules. But Tuesday night at O’Brate Stadium, No. 18 Oklahoma made a loud and lopsided statement, run-ruling in-state rival Oklahoma State 11-1 in eight innings. Behind a relentless offense and a bullpen performance that allowed just four hits, the Sooners (26-10) delivered their most emphatic Bedlam win in nearly two decades.
It was the first time Oklahoma had run-ruled Oklahoma State since 2006, and the first meeting between the two programs this season. And from the very first inning, it was clear the Sooners were on a mission.
A First-Inning Avalanche
Oklahoma wasted no time jumping on the Cowboys (16-18), plating five runs before Oklahoma State could record an out. The first four Sooners to step to the plate—Trey Gambill, Jaxon Willits, Easton Carmichael, and Sam Christiansen—each tallied a base hit, chasing OSU starter Ryan Ure before he could escape the frame.
Carmichael’s bunt single caused chaos as Ure’s rushed throw skipped past first base, allowing Gambill to score and opening the floodgates. Christiansen followed with a two-run single to right, and Dayton Tockey added an RBI fielder’s choice to make it 4-0. Kyle Branch capped the inning with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 5-0.
Oklahoma’s offensive explosion was aided by two Oklahoma State errors, continuing a trend of sloppy defensive starts that have plagued the Cowboys throughout the season.
Bullpen Game, Locked Down
OU head coach Skip Johnson went with a planned bullpen game, and his arms delivered. Freshman lefty Jaden Barfield got the start, tossing two hitless innings and stranding two runners in the second with a strikeout. His poise set the tone for what would become one of the Sooners’ sharpest pitching efforts of the year.
Reid Hensley followed in the third and worked around a pair of base runners with two strikeouts in his two innings. His only blemish came in the fourth, when Oklahoma State slugger Colin Brueggemann led off with a solo homer—OSU’s only run and one of just four hits on the night.
That blast to right-center gave the home crowd a flicker of hope, but it didn’t last long. Hensley retired the next three batters, and the Sooner bullpen resumed control from there.
James Hitt earned his first win of the season in relief, working three clean innings with just one walk allowed. The senior left-hander retired nine of ten batters faced, effectively silencing the Oklahoma State offense and handing the game to closer Dylan Crooks with a 10-run lead in the eighth.
Christiansen, Walk Lead the Charge
Offensively, Oklahoma remained patient and punishing. The Sooners tacked on a run in the fourth when Willits reached on OSU’s third error of the game and was driven home on a near home run by Christiansen, who settled for an RBI double to push the lead to 6-0.
Christiansen finished the night with three RBIs and reached base in four of five plate appearances, continuing what’s been a breakout season behind the plate and in the middle of the order.
But the knockout blow came in the eighth, when OU exploded for five runs to seal the deal.
After Gambill worked a walk to open the frame, Willits followed with a single to right to drive him in. Carmichael added another base hit, and Christiansen was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jason Walk. The sophomore outfielder, who had quietly been productive all year, stepped up and delivered the loudest swing of the night.
With a 3-1 count, Walk turned on a fastball from OSU reliever Stoney Rhodes and sent it soaring over the left-field wall for a grand slam—his sixth homer of the season and his first career slam.
Walk’s blast gave Oklahoma an 11-1 lead, triggering the mercy rule and sending the Sooner dugout into celebration. It was OU’s first grand slam of the year and a fitting exclamation point on a night where they did just about everything right.
Crooks Closes the Curtain
Crooks, the Sooners’ senior closer, didn’t mess around in the bottom of the eighth. Facing the heart of the OSU order, he struck out the side in dominant fashion to end the game and secure the win. The save wasn’t needed, but the statement was clear: Oklahoma was locked in from start to finish.
By the Numbers
The Sooners tallied 11 runs on 11 hits, drew seven walks, and swiped seven bases. Five players drove in runs, with three notching multi-hit games. Christiansen and Walk combined for seven RBIs, while Willits and Carmichael each reached base three times.
On the mound, OU pitchers combined to allow just one run on four hits while striking out nine. Every arm used struck out at least one batter. Hitt’s three innings of hitless relief were especially noteworthy, as he earned his first win in 16 appearances this season.
Streaks and Snapshots
For Oklahoma State, Brueggemann’s home run was one of few bright spots. It was his eighth of the season and extended his team lead. Meanwhile, Brayden Smith’s 19-game hitting streak came to an end, marking the first time he was held hitless since early March.
The loss dropped OSU to 16-18 and handed them their most lopsided Bedlam defeat since 2006. They’ll try to regroup this weekend in a Big 12 series against Houston.
For Oklahoma, the win continues a stretch of strong play heading into another SEC weekend. Now 26-10 overall, the Sooners will travel to Columbia for a Thursday-through-Saturday series against Missouri (13-23, 0-15 SEC). Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. CT on SECN+.
Final Word
In a rivalry defined by grit and unpredictability, Oklahoma turned Tuesday night into a showcase of dominance. With crisp pitching, opportunistic offense, and a dagger of a grand slam, the Sooners made sure this year’s Bedlam would be one to remember—and not just for the margin of victory, but for a team playing with purpose as the postseason looms.
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