Observations from Oklahoma baseball's weekend that included two top-10 upsets

Oklahoma baseball completed a weekend three-game sweep, including wins over a pair of top-10 teams, to claim the championship of the Round Rock Classic in Texas.

The Sooners improved to 6-0 and broke into the top 25 this week after consecutive wins over Minnesota, No. 7 Oregon State and No. 2 Virginia this past weekend.

Friday starter Kyson Witherspoon struck out 12 and did not walk a single batter in seven full innings to lead OU to a 3-2 win over Minnesota in the weekend opener. The junior right-hander allowed a leadoff home run to Minnesota's Josh Fitzgerald in the first inning, but retired the next 13 batters he faced and gave up just two hits thereafter.

RBI singles by freshman Kyle Branch in the fourth inning and Sam Christianson in the fifth gave the Sooners a 2-1 lead. An eighth-inning balk by Minnesota pitcher Will Whelan plated an insurance run for OU. Dylan Crooks was credited with the save, securing the final four outs out of the bullpen.

Like the day before, Oklahoma fell behind in the opening inning again against Oregon State on Saturday. Aiva Arquette, the second hitter in the Oregon State lineup, homered down the right-field line, driving in two, as the Beavers jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead. OU starter Malachi Witherspoon settled down after that opening blow, allowing no more runs and two hits in his 4.1 innings of work.

The Sooners scored four times in the fourth inning with Branch driving in two runs with a single. That was followed by a two-run jack over the right-center-field wall by catcher Scott Mulder to put Oklahoma up 4-2. The Sooners scored one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, the big blow a two-run homer by designated hitter Easton Carmichael.

The crown jewel of the weekend achievement, however, came on Sunday when the Sooners outlasted second-ranked Virginia 5-4 in 12 innings. Oklahoma fell behind 3-0 early but fought back with a solo home run by Jaxon Willits in the fourth and scored two more in the fifth on a pair of doubles from Mulder and Jason Walk to tie the game.

Oklahoma scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th on a bunt single and subsequent throwing error by Virginia third baseman Luke Hanson. The error allowed pinch-runner Brayden Horton to score from second base for the walk-off win.

LSU transfer Cameron Johnson started the game for the Sooners on the mound. The left-hander worked the first three innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He was followed to the hill by six OU relievers. Jaden Barfield was credited with the win, retiring all three hitters he faced in the 12th with two striekouts.

Observations from Week 2 of Sooner baseball

• Oklahoma fell behind in the early innings in all three games in the Round Rock Classic but managed to rally and overcome the early deficits.

• Kyson Witherspoon's 12 strikeouts against Minnesota was a career-high for the junior starter. For his performance over the weekend, Witherspoon was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week.

• The 8-4 win over Oregon State was the Beavers' first loss of the season after five victories. It was the Sooners' first win over a top-10 team since htey defeated No. 9 Tennessee last year.

• True freshman Kyle Branch had six hits in 13 plate appearances over the weekend with three runs batted in. He has 11 hits in 23 at-bats through the first six games and leads the Sooners with a .478 batting average.

• The Sooners won consecutive top-10 matchups this past weekend for the first time since defeating No. 5 Texas Tech in 2022. The win over second-ranked Virginia was OU's highest-ranked victory since beating No. 1 Arkansas in March 2021.

• OU'S 6-0 start is the program's best since beginning the season 6-0 in 2019.

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