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Oklahoma offense explodes, advances to Chapel Hill Regional title game

Eddie On3by:Eddie Radosevich•06/01/25
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Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

That’s one way to keep a season alive for Oklahoma baseball. 

Oklahoma’s season will extend to a regional championship game Sunday evening in Chapel Hill. Now the hard part begins. 

The Sooners scored early and often, taking advantage of five Nebraska errors through the first four innings. OU scored three in the first and six in the third en route to a 17-1 win. The 17 runs are the third most scored in an NCAA Tournament game in program history. 

A flip of the script for Oklahoma seeing its opposition being the team making errors. 

Easton Carmichael led the Sooners offensively hitting a pair of home runs, leading off the third inning with a solo shot and a monster three-run tank over the scoreboard in left field in a five-run sixth. He finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. 

Eight different Sooners recorded multiple hits. 

Cade Crossland did what Oklahoma needed so dearly if they are to accomplish the improbable of coming through the loser’s bracket. He threw seven innings and allowed five hits, an unearned run and struck out nine. 

Oklahoma advances to Sunday evening’s regional championship against North Carolina. They’ll need to win to force a winner take all Game 7 on Monday. 

Sooners offense explodes

Sure it helps when the defense gives you opportunities. The Huskers committed three errors in the game’s opening frame.

But it was an Oklahoma offense that carried over momentum from the late throwaway innings the night before, pounding out a season-high 18 hits on Sunday.

Eight different hitters collected multiple hits, led by Sam Christiansen who went 3-for-5 with a pair doubles and three RBIs. 

Pitching options aplenty 

The best part of Oklahoma’s win Sunday is the fact they saved some arms. If you’re going to come back and beat North Carolina twice, the more arms that are available the better. 

“Cade was really good. You have to have someone step up and do that if you’re going to get back into the regional and make it to the regional championship game,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson. 

Now the focus turns to Sunday evening. Oklahoma is likely to start freshman left-hander Jaden Barfield. 

Barfield’s last start came in the SEC Tournament opener against Kentucky, going four innings with four hits and one unearned run with two walks and three strikeouts. 

Arms that Oklahoma will have available for the rest of the weekend: RHP Reid Hensley, RHP Jason Bodin, LHP Jamie Hitt, LHP Gavyn Jones, LHP Beau Sampson and RHP Jackson Kircher. 

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