By Dave Myrick
If you’re sweating today, it might be due to the fact its eighty-degrees with ninety percent humidity outside… or you could be feeling the heat off the Oklahoma baseball team. A season full of ups and downs, it would appear the Sooners have reached a cruising altitude, as they are on a tear of late winning eight straight games. In those eight games lay two conference sweeps (KSU and BYU). And that is of great, GREAT importance as it goes to holding on for a potential conference championship here down the stretch. It allows wiggle room, so to speak. Just doing the math on the remaining conference series, if OU can avoid getting swept, or better yet for their case win another series, things start to look pretty good in terms of the overall conference race for Oklahoma. That being said, this is baseball. Things can and do change, just like that. A big series with the Texas Longhorns is on deck this weekend at The Dale. Texas, who is tied for second place in the Big 12, looks to be figuring some things out of late and are winners of their last three Big 12 series. No doubt, Texas will have it fresh in their memories the fact that a year ago Oklahoma came rolling down to Austin and swept the Horns at The Dish. Add in conference standings and the fact its the Red River Shootout, and we have a doozy lined up this weekend.
BYU
But first, a recap is in order. Oklahoma headed west once again this past week to take on the Brigham Young Cougars. A more scenic landscape for any sport could not be imagined, and in my opinion does not exist. It sure didn’t rattle Oklahoma however; as The Sooners would take all three games. In game one, Friday night starter, starting on a Thursday, Braden Davis was phenomenal. Davis, who would pick up his fourth win on the year (4-3) would go six and third innings, striking out eleven, while scattering five hits and three earned. Reid Hensley, Carson Atwood and Malachi Witherspoon would all contribute to a 10-8 Oklahoma win. Oklahoma, as has been the case on this winning streak, got an excellent outing from their starting pitcher, and jumped out front early. Once again that has been a strong indicator of this teams success.
Anthony Mackenzie singled in Easton Carmichael to stake OU to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jaxon Willits would add a two RBI single in the top of the third, and a Mike Snyder double in the fifth saw Oklahoma in front 5-0 through five. BYU would answer in the home half of the fifth with three runs, but another key to Oklahoma’s recent success is answering back. Oklahoma and Anthony Mackenzie would do just that in the top of the seventh tacking on two more to make it 8-3 after the stretch. BYU would scrap a few runs across, but OU just kept answering. A Kendall Pettis single in the top of the ninth made it a 10-5 OU lead and provided breathing room needing three outs to win. BYU would make it interesting in the bottom of the ninth as Malachi Witherspoon was brought on to close it out for The Sooners. Catcher Collin Reuter would blast a 2-1 fastball to the mountains to make it a two-run game. Witherspoon would get the out needed to end it, however and OU went on to win game one late on a Provo Friday night.
Game Two
Saturday was more of the same for an Oklahoma offense that has been scoring runs like breathing. Kyson Witherspoon was very good, going five innings full, striking out six, scattering seven hits and three earned. For the first time in what seems like forever, Oklahoma fell behind to start as The Cougars best hitter, Easton Jones took Witherspoon deep to put BYU out front 1-0. Oklahoma would answer on a solo-shot of their own from Mike Snyder in the top of the second to tie things up. Then that OU offense did what they’ve been doing. An Anthony Mackenzie RBI double in the fourth, followed by a Kendall Pettis RBI single, an RBI walk by Scott Mudler, RBI double by Jaxon Willits, another RBI double by Jason Walk and finally a two run shot by Easton Carmichael saw OU explode for six runs in the fourth inning, and led 8-1 when the frame was complete. BYU would scratch a few across on OU reliever Carter Campbell to cut the deficit in half, but Bryce Madron, speaking of hot, would blast a solo shot over the right field wall in the seventh to make it 9-4 Oklahoma. Madron would tack on an RBI double in the eighth, and score on a wild pitch to make it 12-6. Ryan Lambert would enter in the ninth and toss a scoreless frame and secure a game two and series win for Oklahoma
Game Three
Saturday saw more of the same from the Oklahoma offense and Junior Right Fielder Bryce Madron in particular. Madron, would homer for the second time in three at-bats in the top of the first to once again throw OU out front early. Anthony Mackenzie would follow that up with an RBI double to make it 3-0 OU before BYU put on batting gloves. The Cougars would answer in the bottom of the first with a two RBI double, unfortunately for them, Bryce Madron batted in the top of the second. He would homer for the third time in four at-bats, making it 5-2 Oklahoma. BYU can hit, and they showed they can hit Saturday. As they would answer immediately to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning at five a piece. Mike Snyder would wear a pitch with the bases loaded to plate Isiah Lane in the fourth, and Bryce Madron would smash a bases-loaded double to clear the bags in the fifth giving OU a 9-6 lead through seven innings. Oklahoma would tack on an insurance run in the eighth as Mike Snyder scored on a passed ball making it 10-6. An Easton Jones home-run in the bottom of the ninth closed the scoring as Oklahoma went on to win 10-7, securing the sweep of BYU, Oklahoma’s fourth of the season (most in program history).
Summary
Oklahoma is on a tear right now. It happens in baseball. A few keys that jump out have been their starters putting in quality innings on the mound. If they can get to the middle innings with a lead, this team is a hard out. Another that plays into the first key, jumping out front early. They look like a different offense playing from out front. And they have been able to do that very well in this eight game streak. The performances of youngsters Jason Walk and Isiah Lane cannot be overstated. What the two true freshman, Jason Walk in particular starting every game in center and leading off since John Spikerman’s injury, have done filling in for injured starters has been invaluable. Moreover, Walk has played himself into a spot of almost having to have his bat in the line-up somewhere. Oklahoma gets a boon with starter John Spikerman back this weekend against The Longhorns. Spike, who was hitting a cool .378 before his injury at TCU, will slide right back into his starting spot in center-field and lead-off man. On top of that, OU had to sweep The Cougars without stalwart second-baseman Jackon Nicklaus, he returns as well against Texas. Nicklaus, hitting a mere .368, is third on the team in home-runs with seven. Can Oklahoma keep getting quality starts ? Can the offense keep giving those starters early leads ? Can they keep answering when needed ? If the answer is yes, this team might just end up hosting a party here in a month or so.
OU returns to action Friday, April 26th, opening up a three-game series against The Texas Longhorns at The Dale 6:30 CST
