Sooners Win Big in Wichita

Sooners Win Big in Wichita

WICHITA, Kansas – Oklahoma Baseball returned to the win column Tuesday evening with a 11-2 win over Wichita State at Eck Stadium in Wichita. 

Tuesday’s eight-man Sooner pitching staff surrendered just two runs, only one being earned, to the Shockers (18-10) while the OU (16-12) offense put up double-digit runs on a Shocker staff that had previously allowed just one double-digit contest.

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Following a scoreless first inning that saw OU starting LHP Grant Stevens put the Shockers down in order, the Sooners plated a pair in the second. After a walk and stolen base by junior Jackson Nicklaus followed by a hit by pitch drawn by redshirt senior Kendall Pettis, freshman Jaxon Willits singled Nicklaus home for the first run of the game. The next at-bat, fellow frosh Jason Walk laid down the squeeze bunt to plate Pettis.

OU added another pair in the third via RBIs from Pettis and Willits. After redshirt senior Michael Snyder reached via fielder’s choice and another walk drawn by Nicklaus, Pettis plated one on a single through the right side. Two batters later, Willits drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Nicklaus.

The Shockers broke their scoreless streak with an unearned run in the third via passed ball.

Four scoreless innings ensued from the fourth through seventh before OU put the game away with a four-run eighth inning.

OU loaded the bases on Willits’ second hit of the night, good for the second multi-hit game of his freshman campaign, a HBP drawn by Madron and Easton Carmichael walk. A balk allowed one run to score before a wild pitch let another Sooner across. Snyder then laced a double down the right line to plate Carmichael before a pickle between first and second allowed Snyder to score from third base for OU’s fourth run of the frame.

The Sooners put up another three runs in the ninth, courtesy of a two-run double from Madron and sacrifice fly RBI from Carmichael. The Shockers got one back at the bottom of the ninth via RBI single to bring the final to 11-2, Sooners.

Stevens (W, 5-0) earned the win, surrendering just one hit and no runs in two innings to go with no walks and two strikeouts. OU utilized seven pitchers out of the pen, highlighted by a pair of scoreless innings from senior James Hitt with two strikeouts and the debut of LSU transfer Jason Bollman in the ninth. At the bottom of the sixth, junior Jace Miner worked around a bases-loaded jam by inducing an inning-ending double play. In the seventh, senior Carson Atwood stranded a pair in scoring position with a strikeout. Will Carsten, Reid Hensley and Ryan Lambert also saw work in the contest.

Up next, first place in the conference OU returns to Big 12 play in Stillwater to meet Oklahoma State for the Bedlam Series presented by Phillips 66. The three-game series begins Friday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at O’Brate Stadium. Saturday and Sunday’s games begin at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.

All three games can be seen via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+ and heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app.

Tickets for the weekend can be found via okstate.com/tickets.

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