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Oklahoma baseball: Sooners upset Oklahoma State, move to Big 12 Tournament winners’ bracket

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma pitcher Carter Campbell (14) pitches during a college baseball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners at OÕBrate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.Bedlam Baseball
Oklahoma pitcher Carter Campbell (14) pitches during a college baseball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oklahoma Sooners at OÕBrate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.Bedlam Baseball /
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It was pretty apparent who this game meant more two as the No. 7-seeded Oklahoma baseball team posted a 9-4 victory over in-state rival Olklahoms State in the opening round of the Big 12 Baseball Championship.

The Sooners (31-24, 11-13) fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives, struck early and often, opening with a three-run first inning, one in the second and another three-spot in the third to take a commanding 7-3 lead after three innings.

Six different Sooners drove in runs in the game, but the biggest differentiator was 12 free passes issued by four Oklahoma State pitchers.

Oklahoma started off the game drawing walks by John Spikerman and Kendall Pettis to open the game. Dakota Harris, the fourth hitter in the OU lineup, singled driving in both Spikerman and Pettis, and just like that the underdog Sooners were staked to a 2-0 advantage.

OU added another run in the first inning, a solo run in the second and three more in the third to put the Sooners up 7-3 on their in-state rivals after three innings at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

Neither team started its best pitcher to open the Big 12 Championship. Carson Atwood (1-2, 4.97 ERA) started for the Sooner and went the first 2.1 innings, but it was the relief performance turned in by sophomore southpaw James Hitt and Carter Campbell that shut the door on the Cowboys’ offense, allowing two runs on five hits over the final 6.2 innings to seal the win for the Sooners, only their second in five games with Oklahoma State this season. Hitt picked up the win (6-1) and Campbell earned his second save.

Spikerman and freshman catcher Easton Campbell each had a couple of hits for Oklahoma. In addition to eight hits, the Sooners stranded 16 runners on base or the outcome could have been much greater.

Oklahoma State also collected eight hits, but worked Sooner pitchers for just three walks, which proved to be the difference in the game.

The Sooners’ upset over Oklahoma State wasn’t the only surprise in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship. No. 8 Kansas upset No. 1 Texas 6-3. In the other afternoon game, No. 5 TCU blasted No, 4 Kansas State 16-3.

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