OU Baseball: Oklahoma Run Rules Rider to Win Series

NORMAN – A very strong finish to the weekend.

After winning the middle game of their three-game series with Rider on Saturday, Oklahoma returned to action on Sunday for the rubber match of the set.

With the offense seeming to find their groove in Game 2, the Sooners rode another big offensive output to a dominant 11-1 run-rule win to take the series.

With the victory, the Sooners evened their season record at 4-4.

Setting the tone on the mound was right-hander Braxton Douthit (1-0), who turned in a sensational performance in his second start in an OU uniform.

"I thought he (Douthit) was really good," head coach Skip Johnson said. "When you saw (us) get the lead there, that's when his stuff was really, really sharp. His fastball command was good, his breaking ball command (was good)."

The Lamar transfer worked six strong innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out six.

𝟔 K's through 𝟔.𝟎 innings by @DouthitBraxton

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— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) February 26, 2023

"He (Douthit) did a great job," first baseman Anthony Mackenzie said. "It's really easy to step up and be confident when you know your guy is going to get up there and shove."

Getting the party started offensively was an Oklahoma newcomer in freshman Caden Powell.

In his first career game in a Sooners uniform, the Clinton, OK, native smacked an RBI double in his first plate appearance to get OU on the board first.

Caden Powell's first collegiate at bat was an 𝐑𝐁𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞!

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— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) February 26, 2023

After the Broncs tied things up in the third, the game stuck at 1-1 through four innings.

But, it was at that point that the Oklahoma offense would explode for a six-run fifth inning to run away from Rider.

Powell got things started, ripping his second RBI double of the day to put the Sooners back in the lead.

"He (Powell) had a tough transition through the fall going from high school to college baseball, the difference in pitching," Johnson said. "He made some adjustments. I really attribute that to Russell Raley and the stuff he's really worked hard on him."

Jackson Nicklaus then exorcised some early season demons pounding a run-scoring triple off the right field wall to score Powell.

John Spikerman got into the fold two batters later, knocking in the next two runs on a laser double down the left-field line.

"I think it's huge," Johnson said of Nicklaus and Spikerman's hits on Sunday. "Those guys are a big part of our offense. A big part of our baseball team. There's no doubt about that."

The last two runs of the inning then came courtesy of shortstop Dakota Harris, who poked an opposite-field single through the right side to make it 7-1 Oklahoma.

In the sixth, Nicklaus would add to his big day, lifting a two-run opposite-field home run to extend the Sooners’ big lead to 9-1.

𝐉𝐚𝐱 ☄

First homer of the season by @j_nicklaus15 is a two-run shot!

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— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) February 26, 2023

In the seventh, Mackenzie continued his monster start to the season by lifting his first OU home run out to left field.

"I think he (Mackenzie) is just grinding at-bats right now," Johnson said. "I think he's done a great job with two strikes just finding holes and beating infielders. He's done a great job."

Wallace Clark would then complete the run-rule later in the frame, singling to right field to score Bryce Madron and make it a 10-run lead after seven.

The win gets Oklahoma back to .500 on the season and marks their first series victory of the year, with the team seemingly having turned a corner offensively.

"It's big," Mackenzie said about the first series win. "We expected to come out there and win."

After a couple days off, the Sooners return to action for a Wednesday night matchup with UT-Arlington south of the Red River.