Sooners Come Back for Midweek Sweep of UNLV

Wednesday, March 8

1 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

8-5

UNLV

5-8

UNLV

Oklahoma

Photo by: Ty Russell

Sooners Come Back for Midweek Sweep of UNLV

March 08, 2023 | Baseball

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NORMAN — Anthony Mackenzie notched two RBIs, including the go-ahead run on a single in the eighth inning, and Easton Carmichael homered to lead Oklahoma to an 8-7 win over UNLV Wednesday afternoon at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The Sooners (8-5) overcame a 6-1 deficit after four innings to take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. OU scored twice in the fifth and plated three runs in the sixth to tie the game after the Rebels (5-8) went ahead with a five-run fourth inning.

Carmichael launched a two-run home run in the sixth inning – his second of the season – and John Spikerman drove in the tying run on a sacrifice fly. Mackenzie's infield single in the eighth put Oklahoma in front. Kendall Pettis then came home on a wild pitch, scoring what proved to be the winning run.

Carter Campbell (2-1) earned the victory on the mound with an inning in relief, and Aaron Weber picked up his first save at OU by getting a strikeout to end the game. Braden Carmichael pitched 3.1 innings in his second start of the season. Julien Hachem tossed a scoreless frame and Aaron Calhoun did not allow a run in 1.2 innings. Noah Mattera (0-2) took the loss for UNLV.

"Braden had maybe his best stuff he has had in two years." Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "I thought the bullpen did a great job. Easton got a big hit to get us going a little bit. We had men on first and second with no outs two innings before that and hit into a double play. That is going to happen if you keep playing the game. I thought they kept playing the game knowing that they could come back even when it was 6-1. Early last year our team would've struggled doing that."

Kendall Pettis led off the bottom of the third inning with a double and scored two batters later on Mackenzie's perfectly placed squeeze bunt single down the first base line. The play tied the game 1-all after UNLV scored in the top half of the frame on a sacrifice fly. The Rebels went ahead 6-1 in the fourth on a pair of errors and a three-run home run by Rylan Charles.

Oklahoma cut the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single by Dakota Harris. Carmichael's opposite field homer to right center in the sixth made it 6-5. Pettis then scored the tying run on Spikerman's sacrifice fly.

Caden Powell started the eighth inning rally with a pinch-hit single up the middle and Pettis walked, before a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Mackenzie bounced a single over the pitcher to bring in pinch runner Patrick Engskov and give OU the lead. Pettis scored on a wild pitch to make the score 8-6. An RBI single in the ninth by Austin Kryszczuk brought UNLV within the final margin.

Rocco Garza-Gongora went 3 for 4 and scored a run, Pettis went 2 for 2 with two walks and scored three runs, and Harris finished with two RBIs to bring his season total to 19. The Sooners have won six of their last seven contests.

"I think we can continue to grow and get better on the mound, defensively, and offensively," Johnson said. "In this game you have to fight at it every day, and you have to come to be aggressive. The game protects the guys who are aggressive, it exploits the guys that are timid. That's what is so awesome about it."

Oklahoma will go on the road this weekend for a three-game series at Houston. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.