Time for some 'CHAOUS' as OU baseball begins

There’s something about the start of a new OU baseball season. Something clean. Something fresh. The penultimate moment of blending of offseason hard work combined with execution. There’s no running from it. It’s a long season. For Oklahoma, all of that begins today. 

OU head coach Skip Johnson simply looks at it as opportunity. The Sooners nearly climbed to the top of the college baseball mountain just two seasons ago. Last season they snuck into the NCAA Tournament. A number of players that carried OU to the national title series are back this season.

Senior left-fielder Kendall Pettis is one of the 13 returning letterwinners. The elder statesman of the group. He’s been to Omaha. He’s won a Big 12 Tournament. He knows what it takes. 

“I think the biggest thing is having confidence for everybody. You know, last year just seemed like we had a pretty solid year. But I mean, the year before that, it just seemed like everybody was clicking. And no matter what, like if somebody struggled, then we were like, we’re going to pick you up, you know?,” said Pettis. 

Every season, ultimately, is different. Every team is different. Here’s three storylines to watch as OU begins the 2023 campaign. 

Same but different offensively 

Make no mistake about it. Chaos ain’t going anywhere. Since Reggie Willits arrival on the Sooners coaching staff, OU has — to put it lightly— been aggressive on the basepaths. The Sooners registered 114 stolen bases last season. They swiped 145 bases the year before. 

While recruitment of speed on the base paths has been constant, there’s a chance you might see more power with this year’s squad. Carter Frederick (Snead State College) and Michael Snyder (Washington) are new names to know. Bryce Madron and Jackson Nicklaus need no introduction. Kendall Pettis has been to known to run into one from time to time. Easton Carmichael looks to build off a promising freshman season. 

In the world of college baseball, offense wins you baseball games. Hitting for power just increases your chances. 

“The game in college baseball — if you’ve paid attention to it at all— it’s about offense. They’re going to score runs. I mean it is. I can remember one year we went through three-quarters of the year and we had a 1.90 ERA. A team ERA. Nowadays, if you have a four or four and a half, and it’s pretty good,” said Johnson. 

A sneaky omission from the Sooners head coach who also serves as the team’s pitching coach. 

“Baseball is turning into offense. You can only pick-off once. They’re making the bases bigger,” Johnson said. “The ball is a lot harder. I mean these guys are playing with a super ball and a super bat. It’s a lot harder (to get outs).” 

On paper? This is a good line-up. They’re going to get guys on the basepaths. The key is finding some guys that can really hit for power. Bryce Madron headlines a group that could be the Sooners best 1-9 in the last couple years. 

What’s realistic for Jaxson Willits offensively? What will Anthony Mackenzie give you? Where does a veteran bat like Rocco Garza-Gongora fit into the plans? It’s a good problem to have. 

Talent a-plenty on the bump 

It isn’t hard to figure out what Skip Johnson and Co. went looking for when they turned to the transfer portal for help on the mound. Power-arms. High-velocity hurlers. If the sport is shifting back to the graces of high-powered offense, you might as well attempt to match it. 

“We kind of targeted guys who had more power arms and target some other guys as well, but are trying to get some guys like, you know, (Ryan) Lambert (Missouri State) has got a big arm. The Witherspoon twins we got those guys from junior college. That’s where we have to do our bulk of our recruiting is junior college,” said Johnson. 

Braden Davis (Sam Houston State) and Brendan Girton (Texas Tech) join James Hitt in the weekend rotation. Wichita State transfers Jace Miner and Austin Henry are options and though you likely won’t see him this weekend prized freshman signee Jacob Gholston will be a name to know by season’s end. 

But it’s the Sooners bullpen that could be the strength. 

Carter Campbell, Carson Atwood and Will Carsten are mainstays in the Sooners bullpen with Carsten figuring into the closer role. Jett Lodes brings back experience. 

“There’s a difference, you can tell from top to bottom,” said Easton Carmichael, OU’s starting catcher. “The depth is officially there. There’s no doubt about that.”

New Faces, Big Impact

It’s no problem if you aren’t familiar with the Sooners roster heading down to Arlington. You’re going to hear the new names a lot. We’re talking about the Carter Frederick, Witherspoon twins, Michael Snyder’s of the world. 

Needs, though, were answered out of the transfer portal and junior college ranks. It’s the way of the world in college athletics these days. 

Yet there’s still plenty of room for freshmen out of high school. Look no further than Jaxon Willits, who is slated to make his Sooner debut as a starter at shortstop. And yes, the name should a ring a bell being the son of Reggie. 

“He played really good in the fall,” Johnson said. “He’s really mature and I think that you throw him out there and he’ll get after it. Anthony Mackenzie will spell some of it probably at some point. (Willits) is day-in and day-out. He’s a routine guy, an organizational guy. He’s a real leader. The way he goes about his business day-in and day-out. He works extremely hard, and he has a lot of talent to go with that as well.

“I think he’s ready to handle that position defensively, mentally and strength-wise. I can remember the day if you hit it to (Brandon Zaragoza), we would say you’re out.

“That’s what Jaxon’s got. He’s smart, not that (Zaragoza) wasn’t. I think that through the course of a 60-game season as a freshman, Jaxon will be just as good because he’s a lot strong, where (Zaragoza) was not as strong.” 

Weekend Schedule

Friday: 3 p.m. vs. Oregon 
Saturday: 7 p.m. vs. Tennessee
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. vs. Nebraska