Sooners Even Bedlam Behind Carmichael’s Gem

Friday, May 19

6:30 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

30-23, 0

Oklahoma State

36-16, 0

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma

Carmichaels Embrace after Bedlam CG Shutout

Sooners Even Bedlam Behind Carmichael’s Gem

May 19, 2023 | Baseball

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NORMAN — Braden Carmichael's complete-game four-hit shutout led the Oklahoma baseball team to a 5-0 win over No. 25 Oklahoma State as the Sooners evened the Bedlam Big 12 series in front of a crowd of 3,044 Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The fifth-year senior, pitching for the final time at Mitchell Park, embraced brother Easton, his catcher, in front of the mound after his 96th pitch of the night was caught in center field by John Spikerman as teammates converged to celebrate.

The complete-game effort was OU's first since Dane Acker pitched a no-hitter on March 1, 2020.

The freshman Easton Carmichael gave Oklahoma (30-23, 11-12 Big 12) the lead with his two-run double down the left field line in the fourth inning. The way Braden pitched Friday night, those two runs would have been enough, but OU added two more in the fifth inning and one in the seventh.

"Braden was really outstanding. I thought his presence was really good from the first pitch on," Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said. "He established the strike zone and made some quality pitches when he had to. I thought he was really comfortable when it was 0-0, then we got two runs, and what he's done in the past when we've had some long innings is he's kind of scuffled. We got those runs and had a longer inning, and he gave up two singles. The play that Dakota (Harris) made at third was really big, to get him settled back in, and then he made a quality pitch to get the double play. It was huge."

Carmichael improved to 7-0 this season, winning his seventh straight start. He struck out five, threw 70 pitches for strikes and did not walk a batter, allowing only one free pass on a hit-by-pitch in the sixth inning. Seventeen outs were fly balls, but he did roll two important ground-ball outs. Carmichael was so dominant, he only reached three-ball counts on two batters – one in the sixth inning and one in the ninth.

With two runners on base in the sixth inning, shortstop Dakota Harris fielded a grounder and threw to Wallace Clark at third base for the first out. On the next batter, Harris started a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame. Carmichael retired the final nine batters of the game.

"(Braden) is a strike thrower," Johnson said. "That's one thing that he's going to do, is he's going to keep you in games. Him being an older guy and a captain, understanding the role (tonight) and taking it one pitch at a time, I thought he did that the best he's done all year."

In the bottom of the fifth inning, first baseman Anthony Mackenzie tripled home Clark and scored on a wild pitch to extend Oklahoma's lead to 4-0. Designated hitter Diego Muniz chopped an infield single to score left fielder Kendall Pettis in the seventh inning. Pettis caught nine of the 17 fly-ball outs in the game.

The Cowboys (36-16, 14-9 Big 12) only reached base in three innings. After left fielder Nolan Schubart doubled in the second inning, Carmichael retired 10 straight batters. Designated hitter Nolan McLean and first baseman David Mendham hit two-out singles in the fifth, but a fielder's choice groundout ended the frame. Starter Juaron Watts-Brown (5-4) pitched 5.1 innings and took the loss.

"Especially on a night like this, last time pitching on that mound, I had to give it everything I had," Braden Carmichael said. "My fastball command was good, which makes everything better. I just had to make sure my fastball command was good and let them hit it. Throw as many strikes as I could, and let our defense do the work."

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will play a Bedlam rubber game on Saturday at Mitchell Park. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. The Sooners will honor their seniors in a pregame ceremony scheduled to begin around 3:35 p.m.