Sooners on wrong end of pitchers duel

You just don’t see it happen very often these days in college baseball. 

But in the Sooners opening game of the inaugural Southeastern Conference home series against Mississippi State, a good ole fashioned pitching duel broke out at L. Dale Mitchell Ballpark. 

Even more uncommon than the pitch for pitch waged war on the mound? Kyson Witherspoon (and Oklahoma) on the losing end of a 2-1 decision Friday night, setting up for work to be done this weekend. 

Mississippi State held off a number of late inning rally attempts that felt like they’d never come with Bulldog starter Pico Kohn on the bump. And to be certain Kohn had to exit or Oklahoma may still be trying to figure him out. 

The senior left-hander was sensational– or should we say demoralizing?– Friday night allowing just two hits and striking out 10 over six innings, including a stretch from the third to the fifth in which he struck out eight Sooners in a row. 

“I thought he threw really well. Kept us off balance. Got us out rhythm. We had a chance in one inning and didn’t take a hit by pitch. Didn’t execute the plan that we needed to at the time but that’s part of baseball,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson. 

Jason Walk drove in the Sooners lone run of the game in the seventh with a two out double. 

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES 

Oklahoma put runners on base in multiple innings. But each rally attempt was quickly and efficiently snuffed out by the State starter who finished the night one punch out shy of his career high. 

The Sooners loaded the bases in the second after Kohn beaned Dawson Willis with a 1-2 pitch at the plate, escaping the jam with a strike out and fly out. 

Just one inning later Kohn led off the inning with a wayward fastball that grazed Kyle Branch. He responded by proceeding to mow through the heart of the Oklahoma line up striking out Easton Carmichael, Jaxon Willits and Dayton Tockey to end the inning. 

Jaxon Willits finally broke through with the Sooners second base hit of the game in the sixth, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kohn went back to the well one more time, striking out Drew Dickerson to leave Willits in scoring position. 

Theme of the night for Oklahoma

A common theme for Oklahoma who recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts against Kohn and Mississippi State relievers Stone Simmons and Luke Dotson. 

“We took some big strikeouts,” said Johnson. “You can’t blame it on offense. You can’t blame it on defense. It was just one of those nights where everything went their way and none of it went our way. Hats off to what they did. They had some big hits.” 

Oklahoma went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-17 with runners on base. 

Witherspoon held up his end of the bargain

Kyson Witherspoon did everything and then some, giving his offense chance after chance to get back in the game after being tagged for an unearned run in the first following a Jaxon Willits error that extended the opening frame. 

Witherspoon struck out 11 Bulldogs over 6.2 innings, allowing five hits and walking one. He allowed just three baserunners after the first. 

“He was really good tonight. Might’ve been the best night he’s been. He was really good, pounding the strike zone with four different pitches. It was pretty fun to watch,” said Johnson. 

Jamie Hitt and Jason Bodin combined to throw the final 2.1 innings. Bodin escaped first and third, one out eighth inning jam with a double-play ball that sent the home crowd into a frenzy as Oklahoma looked to stage a comeback.

SOONERS TURN TO CROSSLAND ON SATURDAY

Oklahoma gives the ball to left-hander Cade Crossland on Saturday as he makes his SEC debut in the starting rotation. Crossland has worked mostly out of the Sooners bullpen this season, making a lone start against Dallas Baptist. He pitched 4.2 innings last Sunday in the Sooners series clinching victory at South Carolina. 

First pitch is set for 4:30p and the game will be streamed on SECN+. 

Quoteboard: 

“I’m always anxious to watch them play even when we win. If I wasn’t anxious to see how they would respond when they won or when they lost I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be in this game anymore. I’d just retire and go hunting or fishing” – Skip Johnson on if he’s anxious to see how his team will respond on Saturday