How to Watch: Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament Quarterfinal
The last time Vanderbilt faced Oklahoma on a baseball field marked a big turning point for the Commodores.
Oklahoma gave the Commodores their worst loss of the season, 14-0, and had just two hits and five total baserunners. But since that game, Vanderbilt has 13 games and four SEC series. The offense has improved, hitting 26 home runs in those games compared to 30 in the first 35 games of the season.
Entering the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament, Vanderbilt is one of the hottest teams in the country. The Commodores have their last five games and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. Oklahoma is almost the exact opposite. Before the SEC Tournament, the Sooners had just one in two SEC series, including being swept by Kentucky, but they have played better in Hoover, Ala.
No. 12-seed Oklahoma defeated No. 13 Kentucky in Tuesday’s first round game. Oklahoma then beat No. 5 Georgia, 3-2 on Wednesday. Some good news for the Commodores is the Sooners pitched Kyson Witherspoon against the Bulldogs. Witherspoon was on the mound for Oklahoma in that 14-0 win in April and gave up two hits, no walks and had six strikeouts.
Neither side had announced its starting pitcher for the quarterfinal game. Vanderbilt has its entire pitching staff available, while Oklahoma will be playing its third game in as many days.
The Sooners’ two most likely candidates to start are Malachi Witherspoon and Cade Crossland. Crossland started the first game of the SEC series against JD Thompson and came out on top (five hits, one earned run, two walks, eight strikeouts). Malachi Witherspoon was the Sooner’s pitcher when the Commodores found their swing in a 13-2 win.
For Vanderbilt, Connor Fennell was able to shut down Oklahoma, allowing one run on three hits, a walk and five strikeouts.
How to Watch: No. 12 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt
Who: Oklahoma Sooners (35-19, 14-16 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (39-16, 19-11 SEC)
When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday
Where: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium; Hoover, Ala.
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Live Radio
Stats: Live Stats
Series: Oklahoma leads 4-3
Last Meeting: Vanderbilt 13, Oklahoma 2 (April 13, 2025)
Last time out, Commodores: def. Kentucky, 5-3
Last time out, Sooners: def. Georgia, 3-2
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