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Oklahoma blasted in opener

Eddie On3by:Eddie Radosevich•05/19/23
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Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

Before the start of the Bedlam series Skip Johnson laid out a gameplan his team would need to follow if they were to continue building momentum into next week’s Big 12 Tournament.

It included good starting pitching. Braxton Douthit walked four and hit three batters allowing seven runs before exiting without recording an out in the fourth. He was charged with 10 runs when the book mercifully closed.

Continued sound defense. Jackson Nicklaus bobbled two routine ground balls in the first two innings that led to three runs.

And timely hitting. Oklahoma struckout 11 times and stranded 14 runners.

In total, it was an emphatic 0-for-3. Leaving a sight for sore eyes on the scoreboard.

It was over early. And Thursday night’s 13-2 opening loss better get washed quickly or it could be a long, embarrassing weekend for Oklahoma who hoped to climb the ladder to a more comfortable position in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament Committee.

“You lose the momentum when you give up free bases and don’t play defense. And that’s basically how you lose momentum of the game and it just spins out of control,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson.

“I think we got a little tight with men in scoring position and didn’t swing at strikes. Swung at balls out of the zone and that’s what happens. Credit to them they made good pitches. Didn’t walk guys and give up free bases like we did. That’s the whole separator in the game.”

Douthit did himself no favors out of the gate. Oklahoma State pushed across a run in the first. Roc Riggio delivered a two run, two out single in the second to extend the lead to 3-0.

Oklahoma loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but Rocco Garza-Gongora struckout and Anthony Mackenzie popped out to third base in foul territory letting Cowboy starter Nolan McLean off the hook.

Coulda. Woulda. Shoulda. Sheesh it was ugly.

Douthit issued three more free passes to start the third before Colin Brueggemann delivered the big blow stroking a grand slam over the rightfield wall extending the Cowboys lead to 7-0. Oklahoma State added four more runs in the fourth and led 11-1 through four innings.

It was a night to forget.

“Start winning innings like we’ve been doing. Just get back to winning innings. Keep the momentum on your side. Throw strikes. Make plays on the infield and it separates the game,” said Johnson.

Oklahoma pitchers combined to walk nine on Thursday night and hit five batters, even despite the Sooners bats outhitting the Cowboys 12-10. A one sided affair has been the 2023 edition of Bedlam baseball with Oklahoma State having now outscored Oklahoma 31-10 in the first two games.

“That’s baseball. Tomorrow it’s 0-0. That’s the unique opportunity about the game you get to wake up tomorrow and it’s a new opportunity.”

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