Oklahoma Evens It Up On the Plains, Forces Rubber Match After Saturday Night Win

The Oklahoma Sooners forced a rubber match on the plains.

No. 9 Oklahoma defeated No. 6 Auburn 2-1 thanks to efficient play, timely plays made on defense and superb pitching.

OU (29-13, 11-9) needed seven hits on the evening to down the Tigers. The Sooners earned every play and gutted out a close victory on the road.

Cameron Johnson was dealing, tossing over 100 pitches.

Oklahoma Sooners, Cameron Johnson — Oklahoma pitcher Cameron Johnson | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

The Saturday night starter was in his bag with 97 mile-an-hour fast balls, striking out four Auburn batters, surrendering only three hits in just over five innings pitched. Even when things got dicey — the Tigers had bases loaded with two outs in the fourth — Johnson navigated around it to surrender no runs.

Oklahoma had bases loaded and no outs in the second. A Kyle Branch fly out scored Camden Johnson for the Sooners' first run. Jason Walk then grounded into a double play to limit the damage OU could have further put on the Tigers.

A pitching duel unfolded between Johnson and Auburn’s Jake Marciano, with quick inning endings fueled by sharp pitching and timely defensive throws.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

But the Sooners found life in the fifth when Brenden Brock earned a two out walk. That was followed up by Trey Gambill following suit. Deiten LaChance made the Tigers pay when he singled into left field to score Brock and increase OU's lead to 2-0. Jaxon Willits struck out swinging to end the inning.

OU found fortune in the sixth when Johnson reached first off an error when Auburn center fielder Bristol Carter dropped a routine fly ball. Drew Dickerson singled to put two runners on with no outs.

The good luck was short lived after Branch struck out to earn the Sooners' second out, but Auburn was able to tag Dickerson attempting to steal second. The play was challenged by Skip Johnson but was upheld following review. Oklahoma left one on in scoring position, but still led 2-0.

Johnson's day would end in the sixth with two outs. Xander Mercurius came on to relieve him and quickly ended the inning with a strike out.

Oklahoma 2B Kyle Branch | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Gambill made perhaps the play of the evening when he made a leaping catch at the left field wall to deny Auburn a single-run home run and end the seventh inning.

But Auburn got one in the eighth when Chase Fralick homered into center field to cut the OU lead at 2-1. Mercurius was able to keep the damage at a minimum by retiring two more batters to end the inning.

Kadyn Leon came on in the ninth to lead OU to victory. After retiring one batter, Leon's teammates helped him out in earning the game.

The Sooners will wrap up their series with Auburn on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Add us as a preferred source on Google