Late-inning heroics allowed the Sooner baseball team to get their second win in a row in Arlington on Sunday afternoon, with true freshman Jaxon Willits playing the hero in a dramatic victory. Oklahoma rallied from a four-run deficit and didn't take the lead until Willits' two-out, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Sooners got off to a bit of a shaky start in the first frame. After getting a quick first-pitch out, Sooner starter Jamie Hitt walked Joshua Overbeek and gave up a single to Dylan Carey. With two outs in the inning, Easton Carmichael overthrew Rocco Garza-Gongora on a dropped third strike. The ball went into right field, allowing the two Cornhusker runners to score. That made the score 2-0 in favor of Nebraska.
Hitt had a strong response to the rough first inning by striking out the side in the top of the 2nd The Sooners started their scoring in the bottom of the 3rd; they loaded the bases after a walk from the aptly named Jason Walk, a single by Easton Carmichael, and another walk from Rocco Garza-Gongora. Nebraska starter Caleb Clark attempted a pickoff throw to second base, which got away from the Nebraska second baseman. This allowed Walk to score for the Sooners' first run of the game. Caleb Clark was removed with two outs in the inning, and was replaced by Tucker Timmerman. Timmerman came on to strike out Kendall Pettis with the bases loaded to stop the bleeding for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska got to Hitt in the top of the 5th. Riley Silva got it started with a single. Cayden Brumbaugh followed that up with a double. Both of them scored on a single to left by Joshua Overbeek, and Overbeek then scored on an RBI single by Josh Caron to give the Cornhuskers a 5-1 lead. Jamie Hitt was removed after the 5th inning. He gave up 5 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits, but tallied 10 strikeouts. True freshman Brad Pruett came on to replace him.
The Sooners tacked on two runs in the bottom of the 5th against Nebraska reliever Drew Christo. John Spikerman got the inning started with a leadoff single. Bryce Madron drew a walk, and Rocco Garza-Gongora brought Spikerman home on a two-out RBI single to right field. Madron then scored on a wild pitch to cut the Nebraska lead to 5-3.
Nebraska responded with a run of their own in the top of the 6th. Cole Evans scored on an RBI single from Riley Silva, the run coming against Sooner reliever Carter Campbell. This gave Nebraska a 6-3 lead.
Kyle Perry came in to pitch the bottom of the 7th for Nebraska. Spikerman got the inning started with a single, and Bryce Madron then sent a two-run homer over the right-field wall to make the score 6-5. That was the first HR of the season for Oklahoma.
In the bottom of the 9th inning, some Sooner magic ensued. Spikerman kicked it all off with a leadoff single. Then, with two outs, Michael Snyder doubled to left to bring home Spikerman and tie the game. After a Garza-Gongora intentional walk and a Kendall Pettis hit by pitch, true freshman Jaxon Willits stepped to the plate. He coolly singled to center field to give the Sooners a 7-6 walk-off win. It was the first hit of Willits' career.
The Sooners end the weekend 2-1, beating Nebraska and Tennessee. Their next game will be on Tuesday in Dallas against Dallas Baptist.
The Sooners got off to a bit of a shaky start in the first frame. After getting a quick first-pitch out, Sooner starter Jamie Hitt walked Joshua Overbeek and gave up a single to Dylan Carey. With two outs in the inning, Easton Carmichael overthrew Rocco Garza-Gongora on a dropped third strike. The ball went into right field, allowing the two Cornhusker runners to score. That made the score 2-0 in favor of Nebraska.
Hitt had a strong response to the rough first inning by striking out the side in the top of the 2nd The Sooners started their scoring in the bottom of the 3rd; they loaded the bases after a walk from the aptly named Jason Walk, a single by Easton Carmichael, and another walk from Rocco Garza-Gongora. Nebraska starter Caleb Clark attempted a pickoff throw to second base, which got away from the Nebraska second baseman. This allowed Walk to score for the Sooners' first run of the game. Caleb Clark was removed with two outs in the inning, and was replaced by Tucker Timmerman. Timmerman came on to strike out Kendall Pettis with the bases loaded to stop the bleeding for the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska got to Hitt in the top of the 5th. Riley Silva got it started with a single. Cayden Brumbaugh followed that up with a double. Both of them scored on a single to left by Joshua Overbeek, and Overbeek then scored on an RBI single by Josh Caron to give the Cornhuskers a 5-1 lead. Jamie Hitt was removed after the 5th inning. He gave up 5 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits, but tallied 10 strikeouts. True freshman Brad Pruett came on to replace him.
The Sooners tacked on two runs in the bottom of the 5th against Nebraska reliever Drew Christo. John Spikerman got the inning started with a leadoff single. Bryce Madron drew a walk, and Rocco Garza-Gongora brought Spikerman home on a two-out RBI single to right field. Madron then scored on a wild pitch to cut the Nebraska lead to 5-3.
Nebraska responded with a run of their own in the top of the 6th. Cole Evans scored on an RBI single from Riley Silva, the run coming against Sooner reliever Carter Campbell. This gave Nebraska a 6-3 lead.
Kyle Perry came in to pitch the bottom of the 7th for Nebraska. Spikerman got the inning started with a single, and Bryce Madron then sent a two-run homer over the right-field wall to make the score 6-5. That was the first HR of the season for Oklahoma.
In the bottom of the 9th inning, some Sooner magic ensued. Spikerman kicked it all off with a leadoff single. Then, with two outs, Michael Snyder doubled to left to bring home Spikerman and tie the game. After a Garza-Gongora intentional walk and a Kendall Pettis hit by pitch, true freshman Jaxon Willits stepped to the plate. He coolly singled to center field to give the Sooners a 7-6 walk-off win. It was the first hit of Willits' career.
The Sooners end the weekend 2-1, beating Nebraska and Tennessee. Their next game will be on Tuesday in Dallas against Dallas Baptist.
