Oklahoma baseball: Sooners, Horns all even heading into Red River rubber game

Following a 9-1 Friday night loss to No. 8-ranked Texas, the Oklahoma baseball team was looking to even the series on Saturday afternoon.

The middle game of this season’s Red River rivalry series with the hated Longhorns was of little consequence on either side until the final three innings.

Entering the seventh inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday the score was deadlocked at 0-0. It was a pitcher’s duel for the first six frames, with OU right-hander David Sandlin going six scoreless innings for the Sooners and allowing no runs on just two Texas hits and striking out seven.

Texas catcher Silas Adoin broke the scoring ice with a solo home run leading off the top of the seventh to give the Longhorns a 1-0 lead. The Sooners countered in the bottom half of the seventh, loading the bases on a couple of singles and a walk. With the sacks filled, preseason All-American Peyton Manning singled sharply to left center scoring two runs and giving Oklahoma a 2-1 lead.

With one out in the home half of the eighth inning, Sebastian Orduno singled to center field for the Sooners. Kendall Pettis ran for Orduno and stole second followed by a walk to Cade Horton, one of 13 freshmen on the Sooner team.

Wallace Clark struck out swinging, but Horton stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Texas catcher Ardoin. Pettis, who had advanced to third on a double steal, scored on the throwing error. Jackson Nicklaus, another Sooner freshman, singled up the middle, and the Sooners added two insurance runs for a 4-2 lead heading to the final inning.

That’s when things got really interesting. With one out in the top half of the ninth and the Longhorns down to their final three outs. Ardoin launched his second home run of the gam over the left field fence with one out. OU reliever Trevin Michael, in for the third inning in relief of starter Sandlin, yielded a single to Longhorn shortstop Trey Faltine, Michael struck out Skylar Messinger swinging, and Texas was down to its final out.

Michael then issued a free pass to UT’s Mitchell Daly, who had struck in three previous plate appearances, putting the tying runs on first and second and bringing the potential winning run to the plate in the form of right fielder Dylan Campbell. With the count 3-2, Campbell hit a low liner to left field that Sooner left fielder Diego Muniz made a diving catch off to close off the rally and preserve the win for Oklahoma.

Seven Oklahoma stolen bases and two Texas errors were major contributors to the Sooner victory. Michael was credited with the win in relief, his second without a loss. Texas starter Tristan Stevens was charged with the loss, his second against four wins.

Sunday’s series final will feature left-hander Chazz Martinez (2-2, 4.45 ERA) going on the mound for Oklahoma against southpaw Lucas Gordon (2-1, 1.59) of the Longhorns.