CINCINNATI — No. 12 Oklahoma swept a Thursday doubleheader at Cincinnati, winning 14-6 in Game 1 before a 12-8 win in the nightcap to seal the series.
The OU (34-17, 23-6) offense continued to impress, scoring 26 runs on 29 hits on the day, including nine extra base hits. The Sooners have scored a combined 73 runs in their last five games, scoring double-digit runs in four of the five.
With the two wins, OU clinched its seventh Big 12 series of the season, including third straight, and improved to 23-6 in conference play. OU's 23 wins in league play pass the 1994 and '95 teams' 21 conference wins for the most in program history.
The Sooner series W was the first home series loss for the Bearcats (30-23, 16-13) and their first back-to-back home losses of the season.
OU, already crowned as Big 12 regular season champion, improvedits win streak to eight games and has now won 15 of its last 17 Big 12 games.
GAME 1 (OU 14, UC 6)
The Sooners jumped out to an early lead at the top of the first. After a leadoff triple from reigning Big 12 Player of the Week John Spikerman, senior Bryce Madron lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate one for the Sooners.
OU starting LHP Braden Davis retired the first six Bearcats he faced before Cincinnati got on the board via sac-fly in the third.
The teams exchanged solo home runs in the fourth with senior Michael Snyder launching his 10th of the year for the Sooners.
Following a scoreless fifth, OU opened the game up with a four-run sixth and eight-run seventh.
After OU's second leadoff triple of the game, this one from Easton Carmichael, a Snyder RBI double down the right line brought one in. Two batters later, junior Jackson Nicklaus lifted a fly ball to center to score Snyder. A single to center from Jaxon Willits followed, then a balk advanced the runners, scoring Anthony Mackenzie from third. Two at-bats later, freshman Jason Walk reached on an error that allowed Willits to score, closing the frame with a four-run Sooner lead.
Cincinnati got one back in the home half of the sixth before OU poured in eight more runs on six hits in the seventh. A Carmichael RBI double started the flurry, then a Mackenzie Rbi single and Willits RBI fielder's choice. Another balk allowed Mackenzie to score again from third, before Walk singled home Willits. Carmichael brought in his second and third runs of the inning on a single to hit before a bases-loaded walk drawn by Mackenzie closed the big inning for the Sooners.
The Bearcats avoided being run-ruled, scratching across three runs throughout the final three innings to bring the final to 14-6.
On the mound, Davis (W, 8-3) won his fifth straight start and moved to 7-1 in Big 12 play. The lefty ace went six innings, surrendering three runs on just two hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts, bringing his season total to 98.
Relievers Carson Atwood (1.0 IP), Reid Hensley (0.2) and Jett Lodes (1.1) combined to close the game with Lodes fanning a pair and Atwood striking out one.
At the plate, Carmichael continued his tear with a 4-for-5, three RBI game while Snyder went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a home run. Eight Sooners registered a base hit with seven plating a run.
GAME 2 (OU 12, UC 8)
The Sooner offense picked up where they left off in Game 2, putting up seven runs on four hits and a pair of UC errors at the top of the first.
RBIs in the first came by way of Carmichael and Pettis fielder's choices, Nicklaus bases-loaded walk, RBI singles from Walk and Spikerman, and a two-run double from sophom*ore Rocco Garza-Gongora.
Cincy would score single runs in the first three innings to pull within four after three. Carmichael brought in OU's next run at the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout to push OU's lead to 9-5 through six.
Cincinnati pulled within one run with a three-run seventh before OU answered with their own three-run frame at the top of the eighth.
After a leadoff single from Garza-Gongora, his third hit of the game, followed by a Spikerman base hit, the freshman Willits launched a ball to deep right field for his eighth home run of the year. All eight homers have come since April 5 (23 games).
Relievers Dylan Crooks, Ryan Lambert and Malachi Witherspoon would combine to work scoreless eighth and ninth innings to secure the series.
Sophom*ore RHP Kyson Witherspoon (W, 7-3) earned his third straight win on the mound and fifth in his last six starts. The righty went five innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Senior Carter Campbell also saw action out of the bullpen, striking out one in 1.1 innings pitched. Crooks, Lambert and Witherspoon all fanned one each.
At the plate, Spikerman led OU with a 4-for-5 performance with two RBIs, while Willits plated a trio on his home run and Garza-Gongora went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, his first three-hit game of his sophom*ore campaign.
The teams meet for the series finale and the final game of the regular season Friday at 4 p.m. CT.
The game can be seen via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+ with Anthony Mazzini, Billy Hatcher and Zach Segal on the call.
All games can be heard locally in Oklahoma on SportsTalk 1400 AM/99.3 FM or nationwide on The Varsity app with OU play-by-play voice Toby Rowland calling the action.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and likeOklahoma Baseballon Facebook.
