Jaden Barfield, Jamie Hitt propel Oklahoma baseball to 5-1 win in SEC Tournament

Oklahoma baseball can extend its reservation at the SEC Tournament for at the very least another day.

Jaden Barfield and Jamie Hitt combined to throw four innings each on Tuesday, opening the program’s first SEC Tournament appearance with a 5-1 win over 13-seed Kentucky.

After the Wildcats took the lead in the top of the third, Jason Walk gave his team its first lead of the tournament with a two-run home run in the bottom half. Easton Carmichael added an RBI single to extend the Sooners lead to 3-1. OU sent eight hitters to the plate in the inning, grabbing momentum in the game. 

“Honestly I was just trying to get up there and compete. Seeing as many pitches as I can and putting the barrel on the ball,” said Walk of his go-ahead third inning home run. “I think he left a fastball there. You’ve got to be able to hit a fastball to get to the next level.” 

Jaxon Willits led off the sixth with a single and scored on a Kyle Branch ground out. Carmichael scored in the eighth after leading off the frame with the Sooners 18th triple of the season, scoring on a Willits sacrifice fly. 

“I think it was huge trying to get the momentum early. I thought it was big that J-Walk hit a big home run to get us some momentum. The defense gave us some momentum. When you’re playing in this league– what’s awesome about this league– it’s like a super regional. You get a hit or a walk. It changes the dynamics of an inning. You’ve got to try and sustain that inning and keep your confidence and poise up throughout the game. I think that was the separator,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson. 

Dylan Crooks worked the final frame, setting up a showdown Wednesday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium against five-seed Georgia. 

Barfield, Hitt dominant on the mound

Barfield got the nod from Skip Johnson in the opener and was rewarded for his confidence in the freshman left-hander.

The most traffic he faced over a career-high four innings came in the top of the first. Barfield wiggled out of a bases loaded jam, inducing a Patrick Herrera ground ball back to the mound, starting an inning ending double play. 

Barfield allowed four hits on the day with the lone run scoring in the third on an error by third baseman Dawson Willis. 

Hitt faced the minimum in his first three innings of work, escaping the fifth and seventh with a pair of double plays. Oklahoma enters the week having turned a conference-best 24 twin-killings. They turned three on Tuesday afternoon. 

Hitt’s four innings of work stands as a season high, eating up valuable innings on the first day of what he and his teammates hope is an extended stay at The Met. 

“I really just went out there trying to execute pitches one pitch at a time. Everything was working for me. I had every one of my pitches which was awesome. Just hitting my spots and getting outs,” said Hitt. 

Tockey returns to line up

After missing the Sooners last 11 games of the regular season and less than a month removed from sustaining a hairline fracture in his left ankle, Dayton Tockey returned to the Oklahoma lineup on Tuesday.

He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, serving as the Sooners designated hitter.

The Sooners went 3-8 without Tockey in the lineup. Including losses in six of their final seven regular season games.

Next up

Oklahoma advances to Wednesday and will play five-seed Georgia. The Bulldogs took two of three from Oklahoma on April 24-26.

Kyson Witherspoon is expected to make his first postseason start after being tabbed first team All-SEC, as announced by the league on Monday.

Witherspoon was dominant in the Sooners lone win over Georgia in the season series. He allowed one run on five hits over seven innings. 

The Bulldogs enter this week’s SEC Tournament ranked No. 1 in RPI.

Note: Oklahoma-Georgia first pitch is now scheduled for 4:30p on Wednesday