Oklahoma baseball: Sooners hold on, outslugging Kansas for 11-6 win in Game 2 of series
By Chip Rouse
The Oklahoma baseball Sooners put together three big innings powered by a hat trick of home runs to defeat Kansas 11-6 and even the series at a game apiece.
The Sooners (23-20, 8-9) jumped out to a 7-0 advantage with a three-run second inning followed by four more in the fourth. OU got a couple of long balls out of a couple of guys who aren’t known for hitting the ball out of the park.
Sebastian Orduno launched a two-run round-tripper in the second inning and John Spikerman added to it with a three-run blast to right field in the third. It was Orduno’s first of the season and Spikerman’s second.
Redshirt-senior Braden Carmichael started for Oklahoma and went three strong innings before running into trouble in the fourth. The Jayhawks scored five runs on three hits and a Sooner error, the big blow coming off the bat of KU’s Chase Jans, who blasted a three-run home run to cut into the OU lead. Carmichael made it through 5.1 innings before giving way to Aaron Weber in the sixth.
The Jayhawks scored five runs and collected nine hits off of Carmichael, who struck out six and was credited with his fourth win without a loss. The Sooner bullpen shut down Kansas the rest of the way, giving up just one run and two hits.
Sam Ireland took the loss for Kansas, lasting just 2.2 innings and allowing 7 earned runs. His record dropped to 4-6.
Spikerman had two hits and drove in five runs for the Sooners. Orduno and Kendall Pettis drove in a couple of runs apiece for OU.
The rubber game of the series will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday a L. Dale Mitchell Park. Sophomore left-hander James Hitt (3-0, 4.17) is scheduled to draw the start for Oklahoma.