Sooners baseball pounds Kansas State, 12-5

That’ll do for Sooners baseball. 

Oklahoma opened a pivotal three-game home series versus Pete Hughes and Kansas State with a 12-5 win Friday night.

Easton Carmichael, Michael Snyder and Scott Mudler each collected three hits apiece with the big blow coming in a nine-run second. Snyder started the inning with a triple. Jackson Nicklaus followed with a walk. Then the flood gates opened as Oklahoma scored runs on four consecutive two-out singles before a Kansas State error extended the inning, allowing another run to score. 

“Just be on time for a fastball. You’re going to get a pitch to hit and put a good swing on it and see what happens,” said Carmichael, following a 3-for-5 night that included an RBI double and a triple. “Our mantra is have good at bats. You can’t control what happens. You can control good at bats. So it was just continue to have good at bats. Hitting is contagious so it just started going.” 

Oklahoma scored seven runs with two outs on Friday night, producing runs nearly every time that it was presented with the opportunity to do so. The latest example of a team that is turning the corner offensively, having now scored an average of nearly 10 runs a game over the last few weeks. 

Making for a pleased Sooner skipper Skip Johnson. There’s an offensive identity forming pitch to pitch. They take their walks. They sat on fastballs. Taking things pitch to pitch is another mantra Oklahoma baseball fans know all too well. It’s been preached about since day one of the Johnson era. 

“That’ll take on a life of its own. Once they start really feeling it and understanding what pitch to pitch is. It’s its own life. If you can go pitch to pitch, you really don’t look at the results so much you just go pitch to pitch. It’s a win or a loss. And I think that’s the big thing. There’s a certain many things that can happen on one pitch and so you have to make sure you’re present on that pitch and make sure you’re there and be ready to play,” said Johnson.

Oklahoma drew seven walks on Friday night. Jason Walk, Jackson Nicklaus and Jaxon Willits each taking two free passes a piece.  

DAVIS PRODUCES ANOTHER SOLID NIGHT

Oklahoma’s offense complemented another solid outing from starter Braden Davis, who didn’t allow a hit until a two-out double in the fourth. He finished the evening throwing 5.2 innings, scattering four hits and striking out seven. 

“I thought he was that way last week. He was kind of the same guy last week as he was this week. I thought he was really good,” said Johnson. “He kind of set the tone and then the offense took off which was really great to see. He can establish the strike zone. Whatever he needs to do. I thought the offense really picked us up in the bottom of the second.” 

Now the ball goes to Kyson Witherspoon on Saturday as Oklahoma goes for a series win and an attempt to start stacking good performances on top of one another. The next step of progression for a squad that sits atop the Big 12 standings despite a rough couple weeks. 

“I think so, for sure, but it’s really about playing good baseball. Good fundamental baseball that’s the thing. I just want to come out and play with an edge and play good fundamental baseball. If that’s tomorrow or if that’s Sunday, then that’s good too. I just want to play with an edge. Hopefully those guys will be ready to play tomorrow and ready to get after it,” said Johnson.