Oklahoma baseball: Sooners put up little fight in Big 12 tourney loss to Baylor
By Chip Rouse
The 2019 Oklahoma baseball season is one step closer to coming to a end.
The Sooners put up little fight in falling 8-2 to No. 2 seed Baylor in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma, the seven seed in this year’s conference tournament, needed a good showing this week to keep its NCAA postseason hopes alive. That flame is now flickering badly and about to go out.
OU entered the Big 12 Tournament in the No. 36 spot in the new NCAA RPI rankings and on the bubble as far as an NCAA postseason at-large bid.
The loss to Baylor moves the Sooners (33-22) to the loser’s bracket and a matchup with the loser of the Wednesday night game between No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 6 TCU. OU did not fare well against either of those teams in the regular season, dropping three of four to the in-state rival Cowboys and two of three at home to TCU.
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Baylor scored multiple runs three of the first six inning and built a 7-0 advantage before the Sooners scored for the first time with a single tally in the top of the seventh.
The Sooners’ lone All-Big 12 First Team selection, Cade Cavalli, started on the mound, going five innings and allowing four runs and five hits. Sophomore outfielder Tanner Tredaway and junior catcher Brady Lindsly collected six of Oklahoma’s nine hits in the game, both going three for four at the plate.
Baylor also had nine hits in the game, including three that left the yard and drive in five of the Bears’ eight runs. Junior infielder Connor McKenna hit a solo shot for the Sooners.
Junior Nathan Wiles (8-3, 3.67 ERA) will draw the starting assignment on the mound for OU on Thursday. The Sooners can ill afford a second straight loss and a quick exit from the championship. With its back against the wall, Oklahoma is pretty much facing a must-win situation if it wants to keep its postseason hopes alive.