OU Baseball sweeps Opening Day doubleheader over Lehigh

No. 20/25 Oklahoma swept through opening day at L. Dale Mitchell Park, beating Lehigh by final scores of 11-3 and 13-3 (8 innings) Friday afternoon.

The Sooners (2-0) were powered by a combined 11 extra-base hits across the two games, including four home runs. OU's pitching staff was equally impressive, fanning 23 batters on the day while surrendering just six runs on nine hits to the Mountain Hawks (0-2). OU's 16 strikeouts in the opener was the most since May 29, 2022, vs. Texas.

"I thought we came out and set the tone, scored some runs early for Kyson (Witherspoon) and Cam (Johnson) and settled them in a little bit," said OU head coach Skip Johnson, entering his eighth season as the skipper. "The bullpen was really good, Jamie (Hitt) was really good. The hitters separated balls from strikes and got big hits when they needed to.

"I thought they stayed in it mentally, and I'm really proud of the guys that came in and pinch hit. They're pulling for each other, they got their call off the bench and I'm really proud of them."

GAME 1 | OU 11, Lehigh 3

OU starting right-handed pitcher and preseason All-American Kyson Witherspoon was as advertised, striking out nine batters in five innings of work. The junior surrendered two earned runs on two hits with a pair of walks. 

The offense came to life in the second inning with three runs on three hits. The scoring was highlighted by a home run to left field by Dayton Tockey in the junior transfer's first plate appearance as a Sooner. 

Witherspoon was perfect through three and a third before surrendering his first baserunner on a walk in the fourth. OU pushed the lead to 9-0 with six runs on four hits and an error in the fifth. Junior All-American Easton Carmichael got things started with a double before stealing third and racing home on a sacrifice bunt from junior Dawson Willis. Following a two-run double from junior Trey Gambill, freshman Kyle Branch roped a ball to the outfield in front of the diving center fielder and raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. It was the frosh's first collegiate hit and home run in just his third plate appearance. 

Lehigh broke up the shutout with three runs at the top of the sixth before sophomore Jaxon Willits launched his first home run of the season on a solo shot to left in the bottom half. The Sooners pushed one more run across in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Carmichael to bring the final to 11-3. 

Witherspoon (1-0) earned the win, while senior James Hitt (2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) and freshman Michael Catalano (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K) also saw action on the mound. Catalano struck out the side in his first inning of work. 

At the plate, redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen went 3-for-3 and finished a home run shy of a cycle, while eight Sooners brought in a run. 

GAME 2 | OU 13, Lehigh 3 (8 inn.)

After a short turnaround, the teams met for the second game of the doubleheader and the Sooners picked up where they left off. Making his first start as a Sooner was left-handed transfer Cameron Johnson. The sophomore put the Mountain Hawks down in order at the top of the first before the OU offense gave him a four-run cushion in the bottom half. 

In the first, Carmichael, Willis and Tockey all collected RBIs as OU put up four runs on three hits and two Lehigh errors. 

The second inning saw a deep three-run blast from Carmichael for his first home run of the season and 14th of his career. Lehigh pushed a pair across in the third before Johnson worked out of a jam to strand two. 

After three quiet innings from the fourth through sixth, the Sooners scored five runs across the seventh and eighth innings to complete the run rule win. In the seventh, Carmichael brought in his fifth run of the game before a two-run double from junior transfer Christian Hoffman in the eighth walked the game off. 

Johnson (1-0) earned the win, going five innings and striking out three with five walks and two runs on two hits. Junior lefty Cade Crossland saw his first action as a Sooner, throwing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, one walk and one hit surrendered. Senior righty Reid Hensley closed the game for OU, striking out two and giving up one run on two hits in one inning pitched. 

At the plate, Carmichael went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBIs, while Gambill was a perfect 3-for-3 and sophomore centerfielder Jason Walk tied his career best with three hits, finishing 3-for-6 with an RBI. 

The teams meet for the series finale Saturday at 2 p.m. CT at Mitchell Park. The game can be seen via SECN+ and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide on The Varsity app. 

Tickets are available via SoonerSports.com/tickets. Saturday's fan giveaway features Oklahoma Baseball schedule shirts.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter/X and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.