COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Oklahoma Sooners dominated the Missouri Tigers with a 17-4 run-rule victory in game one of their weekend series on a breezy Thursday night at Taylor Stadium. Powered by explosive offense from locker neighbors Trey Gambill and Drew Dickerson, Oklahoma overwhelmed Mizzou in a lopsided affair to open the series.
Head coach Skip Johnson opted to start left-hander Cade Crossland, who delivered a strong outing to earn the win. Crossland tossed 5 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, and striking out 4 on a season-high 107 pitches. His performance, paired with a stout defensive effort, kept Missouri’s offense in check early.
The Sooners wasted no time, jumping ahead 2-0 in the second inning. Sam Christiansen and Jason Walk were hit by pitches, setting the table for Drew Dickerson’s RBI single up the middle, scoring Christiansen. Dawson Willis followed with a double to center, plating Walk, but Dickerson was thrown out at home to end the frame.
In the third, Trey Gambill launched a solo homer to right field, extending the lead to 3-0. Missouri responded in the bottom half, with Jackson Lovich’s RBI single scoring Peyton Basler to make it 3-1. The Tigers capitalized on a fourth-inning error by OU right fielder Sam Christiansen, tying the game at 3-3 as Cayden Nicoletto and Peyton Seals scored unearned runs.
Oklahoma regained the lead in the fifth when Easton Carmichael’s RBI single scored Willis, who had singled and stolen second, making it 4-3. The floodgates opened in the sixth, as the Sooners plated five runs. Jason Walk led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Dayton Tockey’s single. Dickerson then doubled to left-center, driving in Tockey and Kyle Branch. Gambill capped the inning with a two-run homer—his second of the night—scoring Dickerson to push the lead to 9-3.
The Sooners continued their onslaught in the seventh, with Jaxon Willits’ two-run double scoring Gambill and Dickerson, making it 11-3. Missouri scratched across a run in the bottom half on Lovich’s sacrifice fly, but the deficit remained steep at 11-4.
Oklahoma sealed the run-rule in the eighth, exploding for six runs on just three hits. Tockey’s single scored Christiansen, and a bases-loaded walk by Willis brought in Branch. Gambill then crushed a bases-clearing double, plating Willis, Dickerson, and Tockey. Mason Hamlin’s single scored pinch-runner Brandon Cain, finalizing the 17-4 rout.
Trey Gambill was the star, going 3-for-5 with two homers, a bases-clearing double, and 6 RBIs. Drew Dickerson, playing in his home state, went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and a pivotal two-run double in the sixth. Their combined efforts powered Oklahoma’s relentless attack.
Oklahoma’s defense made crucial plays, including a second-inning sequence where Crossland struck out Nicoletto, and catcher Easton Carmichael threw out Pierre Seals attempting to steal second. The play preserved OU’s early lead and set the tone for the night.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Oklahoma improves to 8-8 in SEC play and looks to sweep the series in Friday’s doubleheader, starting at 12 p.m. CT. Missouri, still winless in conference play, hopes to avoid becoming the first SEC team swept by the Sooners this season. Oklahoma’s depth and firepower make them heavy favorites to close out the series in dominant fashion.
Head coach Skip Johnson opted to start left-hander Cade Crossland, who delivered a strong outing to earn the win. Crossland tossed 5 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks, and striking out 4 on a season-high 107 pitches. His performance, paired with a stout defensive effort, kept Missouri’s offense in check early.
The Sooners wasted no time, jumping ahead 2-0 in the second inning. Sam Christiansen and Jason Walk were hit by pitches, setting the table for Drew Dickerson’s RBI single up the middle, scoring Christiansen. Dawson Willis followed with a double to center, plating Walk, but Dickerson was thrown out at home to end the frame.
In the third, Trey Gambill launched a solo homer to right field, extending the lead to 3-0. Missouri responded in the bottom half, with Jackson Lovich’s RBI single scoring Peyton Basler to make it 3-1. The Tigers capitalized on a fourth-inning error by OU right fielder Sam Christiansen, tying the game at 3-3 as Cayden Nicoletto and Peyton Seals scored unearned runs.
Oklahoma regained the lead in the fifth when Easton Carmichael’s RBI single scored Willis, who had singled and stolen second, making it 4-3. The floodgates opened in the sixth, as the Sooners plated five runs. Jason Walk led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Dayton Tockey’s single. Dickerson then doubled to left-center, driving in Tockey and Kyle Branch. Gambill capped the inning with a two-run homer—his second of the night—scoring Dickerson to push the lead to 9-3.
The Sooners continued their onslaught in the seventh, with Jaxon Willits’ two-run double scoring Gambill and Dickerson, making it 11-3. Missouri scratched across a run in the bottom half on Lovich’s sacrifice fly, but the deficit remained steep at 11-4.
Oklahoma sealed the run-rule in the eighth, exploding for six runs on just three hits. Tockey’s single scored Christiansen, and a bases-loaded walk by Willis brought in Branch. Gambill then crushed a bases-clearing double, plating Willis, Dickerson, and Tockey. Mason Hamlin’s single scored pinch-runner Brandon Cain, finalizing the 17-4 rout.
Trey Gambill was the star, going 3-for-5 with two homers, a bases-clearing double, and 6 RBIs. Drew Dickerson, playing in his home state, went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored, and a pivotal two-run double in the sixth. Their combined efforts powered Oklahoma’s relentless attack.
Oklahoma’s defense made crucial plays, including a second-inning sequence where Crossland struck out Nicoletto, and catcher Easton Carmichael threw out Pierre Seals attempting to steal second. The play preserved OU’s early lead and set the tone for the night.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Oklahoma improves to 8-8 in SEC play and looks to sweep the series in Friday’s doubleheader, starting at 12 p.m. CT. Missouri, still winless in conference play, hopes to avoid becoming the first SEC team swept by the Sooners this season. Oklahoma’s depth and firepower make them heavy favorites to close out the series in dominant fashion.
