OU drops opener to Texas, 7-4

OU drops opener

Oklahoma drops opener in a back-and-forth series baseball opener to No. 3 Texas in SEC play Thursday night, 7-4, in Norman. 

OU (32-18, 13-15 SEC) held a 3-1 lead through five before the Longhorns (41-10, 21-7) rallied to take a 4-3 lead at the top of the eighth. In the home half of the eighth, Oklahoma knotted the game at four before Texas’ Max Belyeu hit a three-run home run at the top of the ninth to give UT the win.

The Sooners struck first in the bottom of the first as junior Trey Gambill raced home on a wild pitch. Texas tied the game in the third on a throwing error that allowed centerfielder Tommy Farmer IV to come across. 

To the third, Gambill launched a leadoff home run for his fourth of the season to push OU back in front, 2-1. 

Junior Easton Carmichael extended the lead in the fifth with an RBI double to right center to score fellow junior Dawson Willis. 

OU starting right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon exited after sixth and a third. Witherspoon was exceptional again for the Sooners, surrendering two earned runs on five hits with one walk to go with eight strikeouts. It was his eighth game with eight or more strikeouts in 14 starts.

The Longhorns rallied with a two-run single in the seventh off the bat of Farmer IV to tie the game then took the lead at the top of the eight on an RBI single from first baseman Kimble Schuessler. 

Oklahoma responded in the home half of the eighth. After a walk and hit by pitch, sophomore Jaxon Willits laced a one-run single to left field to score Carmichael and tie the game. 

In his first game back from injury, Texas’ Belyeu hit a three-run home run at the top of the ninth to give the Horns the lead for good. The Sooners drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat. 

Relievers James Hitt (0.0 IP), Jason Bodin (1.2), Dylan Crooks (0.1) and Jackson Kircher (0.2) combined to close the game for OU. Bodin surrendered a run on three hits, while Crooks (L, 2-1) suffered his first loss by giving up two earned runs on two hits. 

Carmichael and Willits registered two-hit days to pace OU, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4, respectively. 

The teams meet for game two Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. CT. The series can be seen via SECN+ and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app. 

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