Sooners Complete Comeback, Take First SEC Series at South Carolina

Sunday, March 16

Columbia, S.C.

1:30 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

17-2, 2-1

South Carolina

16-5, 1-2

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Sooners Complete Comeback, Take First SEC Series at South Carolina

March 16, 2025 | Baseball

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — No. 12 Oklahoma took its first SEC series Sunday afternoon at South Carolina in dramatic fashion, winning 6-5 in 10 innings.

The Sooners (17-2, 2-1 SEC) rallied from a two-run deficit with two outs in the ninth to force extras. A solo home run from sophomore Jason Walk at the top of the 10th completed the comeback and gave OU the rubber match victory.

The Gamecocks (16-5, 1-2 SEC) got on the board early with one run in the first without a hit in the frame. After OU starting LHP Cameron Johnson exited early with two on, a sacrifice fly scored the first run of the game before junior Cade Crossland stranded one in scoring position with a strikeout.

Crossland worked three scoreless innings from the second through fourth while his offense tied the game at the top of the fourth. After a leadoff single from sophomore Jaxon Willits, fellow sophomore Dasan Harris brought him across via sacrifice fly to tie the game.

South Carolina pulled ahead in the fifth via RBI triple and a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

The Sooners rallied again at the top of the seventh. After a leadoff walk drawn by freshman Drew Dickerson and sacrifice bunt from Walk, junior Easton Carmichael ripped a two-out, two-run double to the wall in left field to even the score.

USC answered with two runs across the seventh and eighth via wild pitch and bases-loaded HBP to make it 5-3 after eight.

Down to its final out, Oklahoma scored two runs in the ninth to force extras. After redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen, Carmichael and Willits loaded the bases, an error by the Carolina infield allowed junior Dayton Tockey to reach and Christiansen to race home. The next batter, freshman Kyle Branch, singled to second base to tie the game.

OU closer Dylan Crooks entered in the seventh and closed the game, earning his first win of the season to go with his SEC-best six saves. The senior stranded a pair in the 10th, inducing a flyout to USC slugger Ethan Petry for the final out.

Exiting in the first after two batters, Johnson surrendered one run on no hits with one walk. Crossland pitched 4.2 innings of relief, striking out four with no earned runs, four hits and two walks. Relievers Jason Bodin (1.2 IP) and Dylan Crooks (3.2) closed, with Bodin fanning one and surrendering one run on three hits with no walks to Crooks' one run on four hits with one strikeout and one walk.

At the plate, Carmichael and Branch had multi-hit days with Carmichael bringing in a pair. Walk's 10th-inning homer was his second of the season and fifth of his career.

Oklahoma returns home to meet UT Arlington Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. CT before hosting Mississippi State for the inaugural SEC series at L. Dale Mitchell Park this weekend, March 21-23. Tickets are available via SoonerSports.com/tickets.

Tuesday's contest can be seen via SECN+ and heard in Oklahoma on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma Baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter/X and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.