After sweeping UCF last weekend, the Sooners headed to Fort Worth to face off against the TCU Horned Frogs for their second Big 12 series of the season.
John Spikerman started the game with a lead off single for the Sooners. However, TCU starting pitcher Payton Tolle struck out the next three OU hitters to end the top of the first.
The Horned Frogs started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Anthony Silva reached on a walk and advanced to third base on a double to right field from Karson Bowen. True freshman Ryder Robinson brought Silva home on a sacrifice fly to give TCU a 1-0 lead.
Bryce Madron got the top of the fourth inning started with a single to centerfield. With two outs in the inning, Michael Snyder sent a two-run home run over the right field wall to give the Sooners a 2-1 lead. That was Snyder's fourth home run of the season.
After walking Ryder Robinson and Chase Brunson to start the bottom of the fifth, Sooner starter Braden Davis was removed from the game. Kyson Witherspoon came on to replace him. Luke Boyers laid down a sacrifice bunt and moved the runners to second and third. Logan Maxwell stepped up to the plate and delivered a single to right field that allowed both TCU runners to score, which put the Horned Frogs in front with a 3-2 lead.
Payton Tolle was replaced by Zachary Cawyer in the top of the seventh for the Horned Frogs. Tolle threw 6 innings, struck out 10 Sooners, only giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. Jackson Nicklaus reached base against Cawyer with a single to center field. Kendall Pettis moved Nicklaus to third base with a single of his own. Carter Frederick tied the game for the Sooners with a bloop single to left field that brought Nicklaus home. Cawyer was then taken out of the game and replaced by Ben Abeldt. Abeldt walked Jaxon Willits, which loaded the bases for the Sooners. John Spikerman came up and drove in Kendall Pettis with an RBI fielder's choice, which put the Sooners ahead 4-3. Bryce Madron then stepped to the plate and delivered a single up the middle which allowed Carter Frederick to score and give OU a 5-3 lead. Easton Carmichael dropped a single in down the right field line which scored John Spikerman and gave the Sooners another insurance run.
Andrew Mosiello entered to pitch for TCU in the top of the eighth. He recorded the first out of the inning, but then hit Jackson Nicklaus with a pitch and walked Kendall Pettis. Nicklaus and Pettis advanced to second and third on a wild pitch from Mosiello. Carter Frederick then hit a line drive to left field that brought Nicklaus home on a sacrifice fly to extend the Sooner lead to 7-3.
Kyson Witherspoon was masterful out of the bullpen for the Sooners. He pitched 5 innings, allowed 3 hits, no runs, and struck out 8 TCU batters. He recorded the final three outs in the ninth inning and secured a 7-3 victory for the Sooners.
The Sooners move to an overall record of 11-6 and 4-0 in Big 12 play. They will face off against TCU again tomorrow at 5:00 PM in Fort Worth.
John Spikerman started the game with a lead off single for the Sooners. However, TCU starting pitcher Payton Tolle struck out the next three OU hitters to end the top of the first.
The Horned Frogs started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Anthony Silva reached on a walk and advanced to third base on a double to right field from Karson Bowen. True freshman Ryder Robinson brought Silva home on a sacrifice fly to give TCU a 1-0 lead.
Bryce Madron got the top of the fourth inning started with a single to centerfield. With two outs in the inning, Michael Snyder sent a two-run home run over the right field wall to give the Sooners a 2-1 lead. That was Snyder's fourth home run of the season.
After walking Ryder Robinson and Chase Brunson to start the bottom of the fifth, Sooner starter Braden Davis was removed from the game. Kyson Witherspoon came on to replace him. Luke Boyers laid down a sacrifice bunt and moved the runners to second and third. Logan Maxwell stepped up to the plate and delivered a single to right field that allowed both TCU runners to score, which put the Horned Frogs in front with a 3-2 lead.
Payton Tolle was replaced by Zachary Cawyer in the top of the seventh for the Horned Frogs. Tolle threw 6 innings, struck out 10 Sooners, only giving up 3 hits and 2 runs. Jackson Nicklaus reached base against Cawyer with a single to center field. Kendall Pettis moved Nicklaus to third base with a single of his own. Carter Frederick tied the game for the Sooners with a bloop single to left field that brought Nicklaus home. Cawyer was then taken out of the game and replaced by Ben Abeldt. Abeldt walked Jaxon Willits, which loaded the bases for the Sooners. John Spikerman came up and drove in Kendall Pettis with an RBI fielder's choice, which put the Sooners ahead 4-3. Bryce Madron then stepped to the plate and delivered a single up the middle which allowed Carter Frederick to score and give OU a 5-3 lead. Easton Carmichael dropped a single in down the right field line which scored John Spikerman and gave the Sooners another insurance run.
Andrew Mosiello entered to pitch for TCU in the top of the eighth. He recorded the first out of the inning, but then hit Jackson Nicklaus with a pitch and walked Kendall Pettis. Nicklaus and Pettis advanced to second and third on a wild pitch from Mosiello. Carter Frederick then hit a line drive to left field that brought Nicklaus home on a sacrifice fly to extend the Sooner lead to 7-3.
Kyson Witherspoon was masterful out of the bullpen for the Sooners. He pitched 5 innings, allowed 3 hits, no runs, and struck out 8 TCU batters. He recorded the final three outs in the ninth inning and secured a 7-3 victory for the Sooners.
The Sooners move to an overall record of 11-6 and 4-0 in Big 12 play. They will face off against TCU again tomorrow at 5:00 PM in Fort Worth.
