OU Baseball: Oklahoma Battles Back, But Comes Up Short Against Kansas State

An impressive rally, but another tough loss.

After losing the series opener on Friday night, Oklahoma continued their Big 12 series with Kansas State on Saturday in the middle game of a three-game set at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, KS.

The Sooners (13-10, 2-3) rallied back from five runs down to even the game in the late innings, but in the end would come up short falling to the Wildcats (16-8, 3-2) by a final score of 7-6.

After Kansas State broke onto the scoreboard first with a manufactured run in the bottom of the second, Oklahoma responded with one of their own in the third with John Spikerman poking a ball through the right side to plate Rocco Garza-Gongora and even the game at 1-1.

𝐀𝐥𝐥. 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐝. 𝐔𝐩. 👏@jg__spikerman23 singles through the right side to drive home @Rocco_Garza_G! pic.twitter.com/p5BPic55EZ
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 25, 2023

The Wildcats put up a crooked number in the fourth, matching their five-run fifth inning on Friday with another five-run frame on Saturday on a three-run double from Roberto Pena and two-run home run from Brendan Jones.

Down 6-1, things looked bleak for the Sooners - but the team would rally like they have so many times before.

OU immediately got three of the runs right back in the top of the fifth, with Easton Carmichael driving in a pair of runs on a two-out single before Bryce Madron knocked in another with a single of his own.

Not one ... two ... but 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑒 runs 💥@Bryce_madron drives home OU's third run of the inning!

KSU 6, OU 4 pic.twitter.com/6v8h5QvBKo
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 25, 2023

Through five, Kansas State clung to a 6-4 lead.

That advantage didn’t last much longer, as the Sooners closed the rest of the gap in the sixth by striking for two more runs on RBIs from Sebastian Orduno and Anthony Mackenzie.

𝑆𝑒𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 ✔@SebastianOrduno with the pinch hit single to score @j_nicklaus15! Sooners are within one 😤 pic.twitter.com/KmakPajsxu
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) March 25, 2023

Suddenly, it was a brand new ballgame at 6-6 in the middle of the sixth.

But, now it was the Wildcats turn to immediately strike back.

In the bottom of the sixth, Pena came through again with an RBI double to put KSU back in front - again with two outs.

That run would go on to be the difference, as the Sooners' bats went cold in the late innings as Kansas State relievers Mason Buss and Tyson Neighbors teamed up for 3.2 shutout innings to close the game.

The loss is Oklahoma’s third in a row and officially marks their first series loss in conference play.

Trying to salvage the set, the Sooners will return to action on Sunday in the weekend finale at 1 p.m. back at Tointon Stadium.