OU Baseball: Oklahoma Sweeps Texas Tech, Strengthens Grip on Big 12

With two weekends to play, the Sooners own a three-game lead in the conference race thanks to more clutch hitting and timely runs.

Oklahoma catcher Easton Carmichael / NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

By OU Media Relations

LUBBOCK, TX — No. 22-ranked Oklahoma completed the three-game conference sweep of Texas Tech in Lubbock with a 8-7 win Sunday. 

The Sooners (29-17, 18-6) improve its program record for Big 12 sweeps in a season to five on the year and sit in first place in the conference standings by three games heading into the final two weekends of Big 12 play. 

OU’s 18 wins in conference play are the most since 2004 (19) and the Sooner sweep in Lubbock marks  the first time Texas Tech has been swept on their home field since 2011. Additionally, it was OU’s first sweep over Tech since 2011 and first in Lubbock since 2006.

Sunday’s Game 3 proved to be the most competitive contest of the series, with runs in seven of the nine innings, but OU never relinquished a lead. The Sooners never trailed in all three games of the series. Sunday the OU bats continued to stay hot with 12 hits, including three home runs.

/

As was the case all weekend, OU started fast with two runs at the top of the first. After a Tech error allowed senior Bryce Madron to reach, fellow senior Michael Snyder made them pay with his ninth homer of the season on a two-run blast to left. 

Tech (30-20, 12-15) pushed one across in the home half of the first inning via an RBI groundout after a leadoff triple.

OU starting RHP Carson Atwood hurled the first 3.1 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks. 

The Sooners put up crooked numbers at the top of the third and fourth, scoring a pair in each inning. In the third, after a leadoff single from freshman Jason Walk, senior John Spikerman launched his second home run of the year, and first since Feb. 24, on a deep fly to right. 

At the top of the fourth, an RBI single from Madron and sacrifice fly from sophomore Easton Carmichael pushed the OU lead to 6-1. 

Tech answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three on two hits and a pair of OU errors on one play. Following a bases-loaded walk, the Red Raiders capitalized on a wild pitch and pair of fielding miscues that allowed two to cross home. OU junior RHP Brendan Girton limited the damage, stranding one with a line out. 

The Sooners took the momentum back in the next half inning, courtesy of Carmichael. After a leadoff single from Spikerman, the sophomore designated hitter Carmichael hit a two-run homer to left field to extend OU’s lead to four at 8-4. 

Tech battled to the finish, scoring one on a sac-fly in the seventh and two in the bottom of the ninth via home run and run-scoring groundout. Sophomore RHP Malachi Witherspoon entered with one out and the tying run on third base and retired the side with one strikeout to get the save and give the Sooners the win. 

At the plate, Spikerman, Snyder and Willits all recorded three-hit games to lead OU. Carmichael brought in a trio, while Spikerman and Snyder batted in two each. 

On the mound, OU utilized seven pitchers in the finale with reliever Carter Campbell (W, 3-0) earning his third win of the season, striking out a pair in 1.1 innings of work. 

The Big 12-leading Sooners return to action next weekend in Norman for the home regular season finale vs. Baylor (20-26, 9-15). The three-game series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT at L. Dale Mitchell Park with Sunday’s finale serving as Senior Day.