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Kyle Branch hits inside-the-park home run in Oklahoma season opener vs. Lehigh

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•02/14/25•

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Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

In the first game of his college career, Kyle Branch had a moment he’ll remember forever. He knocked an inside-the-park home run during Oklahoma’s season opener vs. Lehigh.

Branch sent a pitch toward the centerfielder, but he misplayed his diving attempt. The ball then rolled to the wall, which not only scored the runner on second, but gave Branch enough time to round the bases and get the inside-the-park home run.

It marked the freshman’s first college homer. Suffice to say, it’s one he’ll remember for the rest of his baseball career.

Branch arrived in Norman this season out of Lucas (Texas) Lovejoy, where he was a First Team All-District selection and a team captain as a senior. He was also a Perfect Game All-Region honoree and played football before opting to go the baseball route in college.

Oklahoma went on to defeat Lehigh 11-3 in its season opener as part of a double-header. Branch and Trey Gambill both had two RBI on the day as eight Sooners got runs across the plate. Kyson Witherspoon got the win thanks to a strong start, striking out nine Mountain Hawks hitters while allowing just two earned runs across five innings of work.

Oklahoma baseball has plenty of fresh faces in 2025

Kyle Branch will be one of a slew of new faces in the Oklahoma dugout this season as the Sooners make the move to the SEC. All told, OU lost 65% of its offense and 55% of its innings pitched from last season when it made a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Skip Johnson understands the task at hand, though, and pointed out some of the other names that could have to step up in 2025. But there’s some experience in key areas, though, which will be important as the season goes along.

“When you look at those numbers, it scares you, but if you just think about winning pitches and lose yourself in the process instead of dealing with the results, then all of the sudden you start looking up the middle of the field and you’ve got Easton (Carmichael), you’ve got (Scott) Mudler back, you’ve got Jaxon Willits and Jason Walk in centerfield,” Johnson said, via Sooner Scoop’s Eddie Radosevich. “Up the middle of the field is where you want to be strong and you want to have some experience and those guys are coming back with some experience.”