Oklahoma baseball late rally fuels 3-2 win, best start since 2011

There’s going to be tougher competition for Oklahoma baseball. There’s going to be bigger games. But for now? Oklahoma baseball is unbeaten and off to the program’s best start since 2011. 

Skip Johnson’s crew improved to 11-0 on Sunday with a come-from-behind 3-2 win over CSUN, sweeping the weekend series, outscoring the Matadors 22-4. 

Sophomore left-hander Cam Johnson went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, four walks and four punchouts. He played with fire often but was never burned badly, leaving the bases loaded in the first and the fourth. 

The fourth inning escape aided by a diving Trey Gambill in left followed by a strikeout to end the frame. 

“I mean it’s more his confidence. He made some brilliant pitches today. I think the ceiling is only going to get better and better. I think he’s going to grow and grow and grow. It’s fun to watch him grow. Hopefully he grows like a weed – fast. You keep throwing him out there and see if he can get better,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson on Johnson’s third start in a Sooner uniform. 

He did enough. Jason Bodin did enough in relief. They kept the door open for Oklahoma, who trailed 2-0 after CSUN added an RBI single in the sixth. 

WILLIS COMES THROUGH CLUTCH 

Dawson Willis would probably be the first to tell you it hasn’t been the transition offensively that he would have preferred. But perhaps things are changing for the better. It was the first-year third baseman’s big swing in the seventh that changed the trajectory of Sunday’s game, slamming a game-tying RBI double off the wall in centerfield. 

“It was huge. Russell (Raley) has been working on his approach. I told the whole group in there. He had been grinding and grinding. He was a great offensive player during the fall. Then he went through a lull. I visited with him on Friday. I know Reggie (Willits) visited with him on Friday as well. Hey, you’re going to be in there. Just keep grinding out at bats. Trust the stuff that Russell is working on him with,” said Johnson. 

Dasan Harris followed Willis’ double by beating out an infield single. Trey Gambill brought Willis home one pitch later to give Oklahoma the 3-2 lead it would never look back on. 

But for Willis, it was yet another late-inning delivery. Which is a bright spot in what has been a work in progress hitting in the bottom of Oklahoma’s line up. 

“It felt great. Just to be able to come through for the team in a clutch spot like that and we ended up getting the win so it made it that much better,” said Willis, finishing the afternoon 1-for-3 with an RBI and a strikeout. “Baseball is a game of adjustments and you have to be able to make those adjustments on the fly. Even mid-game you have to be able to make adjustments. I’ve really been working in the cages with Coach and really honing in on my swing. It’s starting to pay off.” 

CROOKS WALKS TIGHT ROPE, EARNS THIRD SAVE

Sunday’s series finale didn’t come without a little zany on the backend. Dylan Crooks recorded the final six outs of the game, stranding the tying and go-ahead run in scoring position in the ninth, to earn his third save of the year. 

After working through the Matador minimum in the eighth, Crooks started the final frame with back-to-back walks. After both runners moved into scoring position following a sacrifice bunt, Crooks extinguished the CSUN comeback bid with a strikeout and line drive hauled in by Trey Gambill in left. 

“I knew I didn’t tax him on Friday or Saturday. We could use him for extended innings (today). He was really good the first inning and then goes back out and kind of over thinks it a little bit,” said Johnson. “Trying to punch the guy out instead of just getting the guy out. The only thing he can control is throwing the ball to the target.” 

NEXT UP 

Oklahoma (11-0) heads down I-35 on Tuesday night to take on No. 19 Dallas Baptist. The Oklahoma baseball fan is all too familiar with the DBU midweek series that has been a thorn in the Sooners side for years. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.