NORMAN — No. 18 Oklahoma opened the final home regular season series with a bang, beating Baylor 19-7 Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Sooners, who trailed by four runs through two innings, scored eight unanswered runs to take the lead for good, en route to its largest run total in Big 12 play with 19. The Sooners finished the game outscoring Baylor 17-1.
The OU offense recorded 16 hits on the night with eight extra-base hits, including two triples, but scored all 19 runs without the long ball. The 16 base knocks tied for third-most on the year.
OU (30-17, 19-6) won its 19th game in Big 12 play, tying the 2004 team for the second most wins in Big 12 play and are one win shy of tying the program record of 20 (2000). The Sooners are two wins away from clinching a share of the Big 12 regular season title and three wins from an outright crown.
OU starting LHP Braden Davis surrendered his first runs since April 26, allowing the Bears (21-27, 9-16) to jump out to a 3-0 lead at the top of the first.
The Sooners responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the first on an RBI triple from senior Bryce Madron and run-scoring groundout by sophomore Easton Carmichael.
Baylor pushed its lead to four runs at the top of the second, scoring three runs on three hits before OU went quietly at the bottom of the inning.
After Davis settled in and retired the side in order at the top of the third, OU pulled within a run in the bottom half. A bases-loaded walk drawn by Junior Jackson Nicklaus and sacrifice fly RBI from freshman Jaxon Willits brought the score to 6-4 after three.
OU would put up crooked numbers in four of the next five innings, starting with two in the fourth before a four-spot in the fifth. Junior John Spikerman and senior Michael Snyder would push runs across on RBI singles in the fourth before Madron, Carmichael and Snyder would all combine to bring in four in the fifth.
Junior RHP Dylan Crooks entered in relief in the sixth, as Davis ended his night with a line of 5.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB and 5 K.
The Sooners scored six more runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh. Carmichael scored a pair on a double, while senior Anthony Mackenzie plated a pair on a single, frosh Jason Walk drew a bases-loaded HBP and Willits raced home on a wild pitch.
Senior RHP Will Carsten entered in the eighth and retired the side with a pair of strikeouts before the OU offense put up another three runs in the home half. A sac-fly from Mackenzie and two-run double from Nicklaus brought the final to 19-7, Sooners.
Junior RHP Reid Hensley closed the game in the ninth, putting the Bears down in order with two strikeouts.
Eight of OU’s nine starters recorded base hits, with eight bringing in at least one run. Spikerman and Snyder paced OU with three-hit nights, while Carmichael registered a team-high and career-high five RBIs.
Davis (W, 7-3) earned his fifth straight Friday night victory on the mound.
The teams meet for the second game of the series Saturday at 4 p.m. CT. The series can be seen via SoonerVision on ESPN+ and heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app.
Saturday, the program will retire the jersey of former head coach and all-time winningest coach, Enos Semore. Sunday will serve as senior day for OU’s nine outgoing seniors.
Single-game tickets and group deals can be purchased via SoonerSports.com/tickets.
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