Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Texas A&M on March 13, 2026
Baseball
vs Texas A&M
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Saturday, May 1
Norman
3 p.m.
University of Oklahoma
22-19, 0
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24-14-1, 0
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Photo by: Ty Russell
Sooners Clinch Bedlam Series
May 01, 2021 | Baseball
NORMAN – Jason Ruffcorn struck out 10 batters over 6.2 innings and Brett Squires hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning as Oklahoma clinched the Bedlam Big 12 baseball series with a 5-3 win over No. 18 Oklahoma State Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
Ruffcorn (4-1) entered the game with one out in the top of the third inning in relief of starter Jake Bennett and went the rest of the way, putting an exclamation on his outing by striking out the side in the ninth inning. His 10 strikeouts and 6.2 innings of work were both career highs. OU took a 4-3 lead on Squires' second home run of the series and fifth of the season in the seventh inning.
The Sooners (22-19, 6-8 Big 12) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning but went scoreless until Squires' blast in the seventh. Brandon Zaragoza and Conor McKenna hit back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning to extend the lead to 5-3. The Cowboys (24-14-1, 7-10 Big 12) scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. OSU reliever Kale Davis (0-2) took the loss.
"Bennett was really good to start the game, and then we went with the matchups. I thought the matchups were better for Ruffcorn," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "We've been trying to push him in that role and try to extend him a little bit. We took the lead early, separated some balls from strikes and got some big hits. Squires hit the big home run, and it was really good for him in that moment because he'd had some tough at bats early. He got a good pitch to drive out, and then Ruffcorn finished it. I thought the defense was really outstanding today."
Oklahoma strung together four hits and two walks to take a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Peyton Graham drew a bases-loaded walk and Jimmy Crooks lined an RBI single to right field to plate two runs.
Ruffcorn retired his first two batters on fly outs to end the third inning, but a sacrifice fly by Christian Encarnacion-Strand cut OU's lead to 2-1. OSU starter Justin Campbell hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game and Max Hewitt homered in the fifth to give the Cowboys a 3-2 lead.
Graham led off the seventh with a single back up the middle, and Squires hit his two-out home run to give the home team a 4-3 lead. In the eighth inning, Zaragoza doubled to left field and scored on McKenna's two-out double to left, providing a two-run cushion.
The Sooners scored their final three runs on Saturday with two outs after producing 14 two-out runs in Friday's 16-2 series-opening victory.
Oklahoma clinched the Bedlam conference series for the first time since 2016 and won the initial two games in a conference set against OSU for the first time since 2009. The Sooners have not swept the Cowboys in a conference series since 2000.
Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 4 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The game will be televised by ESPNU.
Ruffcorn (4-1) entered the game with one out in the top of the third inning in relief of starter Jake Bennett and went the rest of the way, putting an exclamation on his outing by striking out the side in the ninth inning. His 10 strikeouts and 6.2 innings of work were both career highs. OU took a 4-3 lead on Squires' second home run of the series and fifth of the season in the seventh inning.
The Sooners (22-19, 6-8 Big 12) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning but went scoreless until Squires' blast in the seventh. Brandon Zaragoza and Conor McKenna hit back-to-back doubles in the eighth inning to extend the lead to 5-3. The Cowboys (24-14-1, 7-10 Big 12) scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. OSU reliever Kale Davis (0-2) took the loss.
"Bennett was really good to start the game, and then we went with the matchups. I thought the matchups were better for Ruffcorn," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "We've been trying to push him in that role and try to extend him a little bit. We took the lead early, separated some balls from strikes and got some big hits. Squires hit the big home run, and it was really good for him in that moment because he'd had some tough at bats early. He got a good pitch to drive out, and then Ruffcorn finished it. I thought the defense was really outstanding today."
Oklahoma strung together four hits and two walks to take a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Peyton Graham drew a bases-loaded walk and Jimmy Crooks lined an RBI single to right field to plate two runs.
Ruffcorn retired his first two batters on fly outs to end the third inning, but a sacrifice fly by Christian Encarnacion-Strand cut OU's lead to 2-1. OSU starter Justin Campbell hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game and Max Hewitt homered in the fifth to give the Cowboys a 3-2 lead.
Graham led off the seventh with a single back up the middle, and Squires hit his two-out home run to give the home team a 4-3 lead. In the eighth inning, Zaragoza doubled to left field and scored on McKenna's two-out double to left, providing a two-run cushion.
The Sooners scored their final three runs on Saturday with two outs after producing 14 two-out runs in Friday's 16-2 series-opening victory.
Oklahoma clinched the Bedlam conference series for the first time since 2016 and won the initial two games in a conference set against OSU for the first time since 2009. The Sooners have not swept the Cowboys in a conference series since 2000.
Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 4 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The game will be televised by ESPNU.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ruffcorn, Jason (4-1)
L: Davis, Kale (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Enc.-Strand, Chris. 1
HR: Hewitt, Max 1 ; Campbell, Justin 1
RBI: Hewitt, Max 1 ; Enc.-Strand, Chris. 1 ; Campbell, Justin 1
SF: Enc.-Strand, Chris. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trenkle, Caeden 1 ; Hewitt, Max 1 ; Campbell, Justin 1
HBP: Campbell, Justin 1
Batting:
2B: Zaragoza, Brandon 1 ; McKenna, Conor 1
HR: Squires, Brett 1
RBI: Graham, Peyton 1 ; Crooks, Jimmy 1 ; Squires, Brett 2 ; McKenna, Conor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Graham, Peyton 1 ; Squires, Brett 1 ; Zaragoza, Brandon 2 ; Beichler, Connor 1
CS: Beichler, Connor 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ BaseballINF
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Johnson, Dickerson, Willits Postgame vs North Carolina
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BB Highlights: OU 17, Nebraska 1
Sunday, June 01
