OU Baseball: Oklahoma Blasts Cincinnati in DH Opener

The Big 12 Champion had no trouble on Thursday in opening its final series of the regular season.

No. 12-ranked Oklahoma, playing its first game since last weekend’s sweep of Baylor that produced the Sooners’ first Big 12 regular season title in program history — in OU’s final season in the Big 12 — rolled to an easy 14-6 victory over Cincinnati at UC Baseball Stadium.

Left-hander Braden Davis threw another strong start, giving up just three runs and two hits in six innings, although two were home runs. The Bearcats hit three homers in the opener.

OU improved to 33-17 overall and 22-6 in Big 12 play, a new program record for Big 12 wins. Cincinnati fell to 30-22 and 16-12.

It was the first game of a doubleheader, as game two is scheduled to start at about 5:30 p.m. CT.

The series was supposed to be Thursday-Friday-Saturday, but impending weather this weekend in southern Ohio forced a doubleheader on Thursday.

The Sooners wasted no time getting the bats going against the Bearcats.

John Spikerman led off the game with a triple, and scored on Bryce Madron’s sacrifice fly.

Cincinnati tied it at 1-1 in the third when Max Palmieri came home on Kerrington Cross’ sac fly.

OU jumped ahead in the top of the fourth as Michael Snyder pounded a solo home run to left center to make it 2-1.

The Bearcats tied it again in the bottom of the fourth on Christian Mitchelle’s solo homer to left.

In the sixth, the Sooners created a little separation.

Easton Carmichael scored on Snyder’s double down the left field line for a 3-2 lead, and Snyder scored on Jackson Nicklaus’ sac fly to center to make it 4-2. Anthony Mackenzie then came home on a balk to put OU up 5-2, and Jaxon Willits came home on a throwing error. Willits was originally called out, but the play was reviewed and replay determined the errant throw went out of play, automatically awarding Willits the next base.

Josh Kross homered off Davis to cut it to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth, but the Sooner bats weren’t even close to being done as they batted around in the seventh.

After Kendall Pettis replaced Madron and led off with a sharp single to right center, Carmichael’s double into the left field corner brought Pettis home for a 7-3 lead. Snyder was hit by pitch, and Carmichael came home on Mackenzie’s single to left to put OU on top 8-3. 

Following Nicklaus’ walk to load the bases, Snyder scored on Willits’ groundout to make it 9-3. Mackenzie then jogged home on another balk as the Sooners seized a 10-3 lead. Willits made it 11-3 as he advanced to third on Scott Mudler’s bloop single and came home on Jason Walk’s bouncing single through the right side.

The scoring continued as Pettis was hit by pitch, Carmichael singled home Mudler for a 13-3 lead, and Snyder was hit by pitch. Mackenzie then drew a bases loaded walk to score Pettis and push OU’s lead to 14-3.

After the long frame, Carson Atwood relieved Davis to begin the bottom of the seventh as the game entered run-rule territory, couldn’t finish it off. Mitchelle opened with a single, and Landyn Vidourek smashed a one-out home run to center field to make it 14-5 and break up the run rule.

Reid Hensley took the mound to start the eighth, but after two quick outs, Cincinnati touched him up when Kross, the Big 12's home run leader, hit his 18th of the season and second of the day, a tape-measure blast almost off the basketball arena behind right-center field that cut it to 14-6.

Against one of college baseball’s most explosive lineups, the Cincinnati pitching staff and defense didn’t help things with two errors, three hit batters, three walks and two balks.

Carmichael finished 4-of-5 with three RBIs with a double and a triple. Snyder had three hits and two RBIs, while Willits, Mudler and Walk each had two hits and Mackenzie had two RBIs for the Sooners.

Jett Lodes, pitching for the first time since April 26, threw the final 1 2/3 shutout innings.

Friday’s season finale is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. All three games are televised on Big 12 Now on  ESPN+.