No. 16 Baseball Hosts Texas Southern for Midweek Series

No. 16 Baseball Hosts Texas Southern for Midweek Series

February 24, 2025 | Baseball

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NORMAN – No. 16 Oklahoma opens a five-game homestand with a two-game set vs. Texas Southern, Feb. 25-26. First pitch for both games is at 4 p.m. CT and can be seen via SECN+ and can be heard on the radio in Oklahoma on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide on The Varsity app with Toby Rowland (Tues.), Chad McKee (Wed.) and alum Rich Hills on the call.

THE BASICS

• The Sooners are coming off an impressive 3-0 showing at the Round Rock Classic, named the tournament champs after wins over Minnesota (3-2), No. 7 Oregon State (8-4) and No. 2 Virginia in 12 innings (5-4).

• Oklahoma's 6-0 start is the best since 2019 (6-0) and the Sooners' win over the second-ranked team in the country was OU's highest-ranked victory since beating No. 1 Arkansas on March 16, 2021. OU won consecutive top-10 matchups last weekend for the first time since topping No. 5 Texas Tech in back-to-back games in 2022.

• Oklahoma went from unranked to No. 16 in this week's D1Baseball poll, the largest jump of any team. The Sooners hold their highest ranking in the Perfect Game USA poll, vaulting to No. 12. OU is No. 25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and unranked in Baseball America and NCBWA.

• This week's series vs. Texas Southern marks the eighth and ninth meeting all-time between the programs with OU an undefeated 7-0 vs. the Tigers.

Oklahoma vs. Texas Southern
Date: Feb. 25-26
Times (CT): 4 p.m. CT
Location: Norman, Okla.
Arena: L. Dale Mitchell Park

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RECAPPING ROUND ROCK

• Playing in its fifth Peak Events tournament in the last five seasons, Oklahoma swept the 2025 Round Rock Classic last weekend, beating Minnesota (4-3), No. 7 Oregon State (8-4) and No. 2 Virginia (5-4, 12 inn.).

• RHP Kyson Witherspoon was electric in the opener vs. the Gophers, striking out 12 with no walks across seven innings of one-run ball. After a leadoff home run in the first inning, Witherspoon retired his next 13 batters faced until the streak was snapped on a single in the fifth inning.

• Oklahoma met No. 7 Oregon State Saturday, beating the Beavers 8-4 to hand OSU its first loss of the season. After trailing 2-0 early, Oklahoma scored eight unanswered before Oregon State pushed across a pair in the eighth. The offense was powered by home runs from Scott Mudler and Easton Carmichael.

• The Sooners completed the sweep with a top-five win over No. 2 Virginia in 12 innings Sunday evening. After trailing 3-0 through three innings, Oklahoma rallied to take the lead in the seventh before UVA tied it in the eighth to send the game to extras. Junior Dawson Willis laid down a bunt with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the 12th and after an errant throw, OU's Brayden Horton raced home for the walk-off win. In nine innings of relief work, the Oklahoma bullpen surrendered one earned run on one hit with three walks and seven strikeouts.

• OU freshman Kyle Branch second baseman was named tournament MVP. The frosh hit .462 on the weekend (6-for-13) with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored, and made five putouts and three assists in the field, including a pair of pivotal diving stops. Branch came through with timely hitting numerous times on the weekend, registering a game-tying RBI single vs. Minnesota on Friday, a team-high three RBIs and three hits vs. OSU Saturday, and a pair of leadoff hits that led to runs scored vs. UVA in the finale. On the season, the Lucas, Texas, product is batting a team-high .478 with three extra-base hits and seven RBIs.

FOR THE FANS

• Tuesday is "$2 Tuesday" at L. Dale Mitchell Park where fans can purchase $2 concessions including soda, beer, hot dogs and popcorn.

• Wednesday's fan feature will be a $20 ticket combo to get in to Wednesday's game vs. Texas Southern and the 8 p.m. men's basketball game Wednesday night vs. No. 17 Kentucky.

WITHERSPOON NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK

• Oklahoma junior right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance Friday vs. Minnesota at the Round Rock Classic.

• Witherspoon struck out a career-high 12 batters and walked none as the Sooners won their first game of the Round Rock Classic, 3-2, over Minnesota en route to a 3-0 weekend with top-10 wins over No. 7 Oregon State and No. 2 Virginia. Witherspoon hurled seven innings of one-run ball and allowed just three hits.

• After surrendering his first home run of the season on a leadoff homer in the first, Witherspoon proceeded to retire the next 13 batters faced, snapping the streak with a single in the fifth inning.

• The Preseason All-SEC Team selection has a 2-0 record and 21 strikeouts in the early season in 12.0 innings pitched to go with a 2.25 ERA (3 ER) and just two walks. The Jacksonville, Fla., product has at least six K's in nine of his last 10 starts dating back to last season.

• The honor is Oklahoma's first SEC weekly baseball award in program history and Witherspoon's first career weekly accolade.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Junior right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon has collected several preseason honors entering the 2025 season, including preseason All-America nods from four different outlets: Baseball America (second team), D1 Baseball (second team), NCBWA (second team) and Perfect Game (first team).

• Witherspoon was also named to the Preseason All-SEC Team as a second team selection. He was one of nine starting pitchers named to the first or second teams.

• Witherspoon and junior catcher Easton Carmichael were both named to the 2025 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. The award, given annually to the best amateur baseball player in the nation, announced the 55-player watch list last week. Oklahoma was tied for second with two players on the list.

• The Sooners were picked to finish 11th in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll by the conference's 16 head coaches. Texas A&M was predicted to win the 2025 conference crown, while five different schools received first place votes.

STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES

• Following the departure of numerous veterans from the 2024 squad in Kendall Pettis, Jackson Nicklaus, John Spikerman, Bryce Madron, Carter Campbell and Carson Atwood, among others, the 2025 squad will lean on new leadership as the team embarks on its first season in the SEC.

• The brothers Witherspoon, Kyson and Malachi, will look to pace the pitching staff in their starter roles, while returning seniors RHP Dylan Crooks, LHP Jamie Hitt and RHP Reid Hensley also bring a veteran presence.

• As for position players, junior catcher Easton Carmichael, sophomore shortstop Jaxon Willits, senior catcher Scott Mudler and sophomore outfielders Jason Walk and Dasan Harris will play major roles for the Sooners across the field in 2025. The five combine for 234 OU starts in their careers.

NEWCOMERS LOOKING TO MAKE NOISE

• Looking to replace 22 lost letterwinners from 2024, the Sooner coaching staff hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail hard to bring in 28 newcomers for 2025.

• Of those 28, 16 are transfer student-athletes, including 11 from junior colleges, a testament to OU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Todd Butler and the OU staff's expertise at the JUCO level.

• The Sooners added a trio of Division I transfers in RHP Jason Bodin (Texas A&M), INF/OF Brayden Horton (Liberty) and LHP Cameron Johnson (LSU).

• Factoring into the starting mix will be numerous transfer names: 6'4" infielder and 2024 D-II Defensive Player of the Year, Dawson Willis, along with outfielder Brandon Cain from Mississippi State Gulf Coast CC, first baseman Dayton Tockey from Weatherford Junior College, two-way product Gavyn Jones from McLennan CC, outfielder Trey Gambill out of Salt Lake CC and INF/OF Sam Christiansen from South Mountain CC. Liberty transfer Horton and UT-Permian Basin addition Mason Hamlin should also be looking for playing time across the infield and outfield.

• Expected to be factors in Skip Johnson's rotation and bullpen include the likes of JUCO transfers LHP Cade Crossland and Beau Sampson and RHP Dylan Tate.

• Freshmen that look to play significant roles include Kyle Branch (2B) and Drew Dickerson (INF/OF), both Perfect Game Top-200 players out of high school at Lovejoy (TX) and Lee's Summit (MO) high schools, respectively. Other frosh additions that should see work include two-way righty Jackson Kircher, RHP Michael Catalano and lefty pitcher Jaden Barfield.

THE BEST BASEBALL CONFERENCE IN AMERICA

• Announced in 2021 was Oklahoma and Texas' move to the Southeastern Conference. The transition became official July 1, 2024, and the OU baseball program will look to make a name for itself in the premier baseball conference in the country in its maiden voyage in 2025.

• The Sooners are no strangers to competing against their new conference foes. Since head coach Skip Johnson's hiring in 2018, OU is 38-30 versus current members of the SEC (including Texas).

• The Sooners will play 30 conference games this season, highlighted by five home series versus four of the past five national champions (Vanderbilt [2019], Mississippi State [2021], Ole Miss [2022], LSU [2023]), and a home regular season finale vs. rival Texas.

• OU plays its first conference series as SEC members March 14-16 at South Carolina. The Sooners will also travel to Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri in 2025.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

• OU's 54-game slate is highlighted by 31 home games at L. Dale Mitchell Park in 2025, including conference series vs. LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Texas.

• On the schedule are 13 teams that made the 2024 NCAA tournament, including four Super Regional participants and two CWS teams from a season ago, Kentucky and Virginia.

• In the non-conference slate, OU will face preseason No. 2 Virginia and preseason top-10 Oregon State at the Round Rock Classic, Feb. 21-23 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

• Oklahoma will play familiar foes and tournament contenders Dallas Baptist and Oral Roberts twice each on midweeks and meet 2024 tourney team Louisiana Tech for the first time since 1993 on a Wednesday at Mitchell Park.

RANKINGS CHATTER

• The Sooners made the biggest jump of any team in the country in this week's D1Baseball poll, leaping to No. 16 after previously being unranked. In the Perfect Game poll, OU holds its highest ranking (No. 12). The Sooners are 25th in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll, and unranked in Baseball America's top 25.

• The Sooners are 2-0 in ranked matchups in 2025 after going 4-1 in such games throughout the regular season in 2024, with all four wins coming against top-15 opponents.

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