The Oklahoma Sooners played the Round Rock Classic this weekend against Minnesota, No. 7 Oregon State and No. 2 Virginia, and they ended up breaking out the brooms for a weekend sweep of all three teams, including two of those three teams being ranked in the top 10, and brought their winning streak to a total of six games.
Come with me and walk out to the mound to see how the Sooners' pitching staff faired in the Round Rock Classic.
Game 1
Oklahoma 3, Minnesota 2
Kyson Witherspoon was the first crimson and cream pitcher to take the mound during the Round Rock Classic. To use a "Caddy Shack" metaphor, Witherspoon acted as the proverbial Bill Murray to the Golden Gopher line up, allowing just one run on three hits, and demonstrated exemplary control by striking out 12 with no walks through 7 innings of one-run ball, using 90 pitches to do so.
James Hitt and Michael Catalano took the mound after Witherspoon’s stellar outing, combining for one run on one hit with one strikeout and no walks.
Dylan Crooks tossed the last 1 1/3 innings to finish off the Golden Gophers, allowing just two hits and one K with 21 pitches.
Collectively, the Sooners' pitching staff allowed two runs on six hits while striking out 14 with not a single walk, and Witherspoon claimed the win for the Sooners, bringing his record to 2-0 on the season.
Game 2
Oklahoma 8, Oregon State 4
Malachi Witherspoon took the hill Saturday afternoon for the Sooners against No. 7 Oregon State. Witherspoon worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking four and fanning a trio, while needing 88 pitches to get through.
Cade Crossland relieved Witherspoon, working the next three innings and allowing two runs on one hit, walking three and knocking out four with 58 pitches.
Jason Bodin came in to finish off the Beavers, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while walking one and striking out two with 28 pitches.
Collectively, the Sooners' pitching staff allowed four runs on five hits while walking eight and striking out nine, and Cade Crossland took his first win of the season.
Game 3
Oklahoma 5, Virginia 4 (12 innings)
Cameron Johnson took the bump for the Sooners to finish off the Round Rock Classic. Johnson somewhat struggled through three innings, allowing two runs on five hits, but he walked only one and fanned five. He needed 75 pitches to get through those three innings.
The Sooners had to trot out six more pitchers to manage a come-from-behind victory over the No. 2 team in the country in 12 innings.
Gavyn Jones, James Hitt, Michael Catalano, Jason Bodin, Dylan Crooks and Jaden Barfield allowed a combined one run on one hit while walking three and striking out seven batters.
Collectively, the Sooners' pitching staff held No. 2 Virginia to three runs on six hits while walking four and striking out 12, with Jaden Barfield securing the win for the Sooners, bringing his record to 1-0 on the season.
I also wanted to hear from Voice of the Sooners Toby Rowland and get his thoughts concerning the Sooners' pitching staff.
Talk with T-Row
“The depth of this pitching staff is amazing. I think we all knew that they had pretty good starters, but the bullpen has been equally fantastic. How about the job the true freshman Jaden Barfield did in his first-ever collegiate appearance in the 12th inning against Virginia on Sunday? This pitching staff has a chance to be one of the best OU has ever assembled.”
What's next
OU will host Texas Southern on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Then this weekend, the Sooners will be in the friendly confines of L. Dale Mitchell Park again for a three-game series against CSUN, and we shall see if the Crimson and Cream can keep its six-game winning streak alive with five games this week.