OU baseball wins opener, Witherspoon dominant
Oklahoma opened its weekend at No.10 Georgia with a 8-6 win on Thursday night.
But it wasn’t without some twists and turns, after taking an 8-1 lead into the eighth inning.
Kyson Witherspoon returned the series opener role– following a two week absence– and held one of the nation’s most powerful offenses to just a run on five hits. Dayton Tockey hit not one but two 2-run home runs, knocking in a career-high five RBIs. Dylan Crooks worked the final inning, collecting his 10th save of the season.
A positive step forward for Oklahoma who won its fifth consecutive road game, improving to 30-11, 11-8 on the year.
Witherspoon wanted the spotlight, got it and delivered
A few days before Oklahoma left to go to Athens for this weekend’s series, Oklahoma ace Kyson Witherspoon approached head coach Skip Johnson and the message was simple.
After pitching in the second game of the Sooners last two conference series, the Sooners All-America candidate wanted the ball. Thursday night he got the ball. And to no one in the Crimson and Cream’s surprise, he delivered.
Witherspoon held one of the best offenses in the country at bay for seven strong innings, scattering five hits, allowing one run, walking two and striking out eight.
The lone run allowed by Witherspoon came on a Tre Phelps leadoff solo home run in the third. Two innings later it was a Phelps who extended the Bulldogs at-bat with a two out double followed by a Henry Hunter walk. Yet again Witherspoon answered the call with a strike out of Devin Obee.
Skip Johnson used the word ‘special’ in describing his ace’s performance. And there’s no doubts about that.
Witherspoon’s struck out a pair in the seventh before the curtains closed on his night.
Tockey’s career night leads way
It went from a night to remember to a night to forget rather quickly. It certainly won’t be the last time something like that happens on a college campus we are sure. But for Dayton Tockey Thursday night will be a night that is remembered for its extreme highs and an extreme low.
The junior first baseman hit a pair of two-run home runs and drove in a career high five RBIs Thursday night before leaving the game after sliding into second base in the eighth inning.
The first home run of the night gave Oklahoma a 2-0 lead in the second inning. His second went out in the same direction to right field but on a much different flight path, towering through the Georgia night sky, clearing the Foley Field scoreboard, extending the Sooners lead to 5-1 in the sixth.
Then the eighth inning scare. After driving in his fifth run of the night, Tockey slid awkwardly into second base. Skip Johnson and Oklahoma’s training staff had to help him to the dugout.
His status for the rest of the weekend is unknown, but it’s a blow to the Oklahoma line up in the interim. You hope it looked worse than it actually was. It’s believed to be an ankle injury.
Sooners hold on, Crooks nails down 10th save
Oh and about the twists and turns. Yeah, yeah about that. Things got tight. Too close for comfort tight. Game-winning run at the plate in the ninth tight.
Maybe it’s the pressure that comes with holding onto *any* lead in the sport of college baseball. But it seemed magnified on Thursday night as Oklahoma entered the eighth with a seven run lead. This Georgia offense can explode at any moment it seems.
After getting its first two aboard and a Jamie Hitt strikeout of Kolby Branch for the first out in the inning. Slate Alford torched a ball to Willits at shortstop to load the bases. Ryland Zaborowski’s double cleared the bases. Nolan McCarthy followed with an RBI single. Quickly a seven run lead had turned to just a three run lead.
Enter Dylan Crooks. After quickly recording the first two outs in the final inning, Devin Obee extended the Bulldogs 9th inning lives with a double. Kolby Branch shot an RBI into centerfield to cut the lead to two, bringing Slate Alford to the plate representing the tying run.
Crooks ultimately won a 10-pitch battle with Alford with a strikeout, locking down his 10th save of the season.
Next Up
Friday’s Game Two start time has been pushed up to noon with inclement weather forecasted for tomorrow night in Athens. Sooners are looking to win its fifth SEC series.
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