Big 12-leading Oklahoma baseball receives some bad news about key player
By Chip Rouse
The Oklahoma baseball program is off to a strong start to the 2024 season. The Sooners have won 8 of their last 10 games and their 6-0 record against Big 12 opponents has them leading the conference.
Earlier this week, however, OU received news of an injury to star outfielder John Spikerman. The junior outfielder will have hamate surgery on his hand and is expected to be out four to six weeks. While he will not be able to hit or play in the field, but he could be available to pinch run while the injury heals.
Spikerman, who has been batting leadoff for the Sooners, leads the team in hitting with a .394 average and ranks fifth in the Big 12 in that department. He also is among the team leaders with a .446 on-base percentage. Oklahoma will definitely miss his presence on the field, but the Sooners will also miss his leadership on and off the field.
Spikerman broke into the starting lineup as a freshman in 2022. He helped lead the Sooners to a 45-24 record that season and a championship in the Big 12 postseason tournament. That same Oklahoma team advanced to the College World Series and was runner-up to Ole Miss.
Skip Johnson says in tonight’s Sooner Radio Pregame interview that CF John Spikerman had hamate surgery today. He says likely timeline is 4-6 weeks recovery & hopes he’ll return later this season…says he may be able to pinch run during healing process. pic.twitter.com/nR9BK7YYVE
— Toby Rowland (@TRowOU) March 19, 2024
Spikerman hit .317 his freshman season. His sophomore season wasn't quite a productive, but he was having an excellent start to the 2024 season, perhaps a career season, before being struck down with the hand injury.
The Sooners lost to Dallas Baptist 6-0 on Tuesday and host West Virginia for a three-game series at L. Dale Mitchell Park this weekend.