OU Rally Comes Up Short, Bulldogs Force Rubber Game

Friday, April 25

Athens, Ga.

12 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

30-12, 11-9

Georgia

34-11, 11-9

Oklahoma

Georgia Bulldogs

OU Rally Comes Up Short, Bulldogs Force Rubber Game

April 25, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score Final Stats Highlights

ATHENS, Ga. — No. 14 Oklahoma nearly erased a seven-run deficit to shock No. 10 Georgia but the rally ended just short as the Bulldogs took game two of the series 10-9 Friday in Athens.

Saturday's rubber game for the series will start at 11 a.m. CT.

Trailing by six runs and being no-hit through four innings, Oklahoma (30-12, 11-9 SEC) turned the offense up the final five innings of the game to outscore UGA 9-4.

UGA (34-11, 11-9 SEC) jumped out to a 6-0 lead through two innings. In the first, a solo home run from third baseman Slate Alford before the Bulldogs put up five in the second on a Kolby Branch single, bases-loaded hit by pitch and Alford three-run double.

OU starting left-handed pitcher Cade Crossland settled in to put down UGA in order in the third and fourth. The Sooners broke through at the top of the fifth, plating a pair. After OU loaded the bases on a pair of singles from Jason Walk and Dasan Harris and a hit by pitch, a double play allowed one run to across. The next batter, junior Dawson Willis, brought in his first run of the game on a double to left to make it 6-2.

The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the home half of the fifth on a three-run home run from Tre Phelps to push the lead to seven runs.

Oklahoma had its biggest inning of the game in the sixth, plating three runs on two hits. Following a walk drawn by Sam Christiansen, freshman Kyle Branch brought him home on a single to right field. Another walk put two men on base for Willis who roped a two-run double down the left line to cut the deficit to four.

The Sooners continued their rally with a fielder's choice RBI from Walk and another Branch RBI single in the seventh.

UGA added an insurance run via RBI double from freshman Cade Brown that proved to be the difference in the bottom of the seventh.

OU brought it to a one-run game at the top of the eighth, scoring a pair on a two-run single from Walk but the Sooners stranded two in the frame.

The tying run was on base at the top of the ninth for OU on a single from Willis but UGA was able to escape with a strikeout.

At the plate, Willis had a career-high four hits, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a pair of extra-base hits. Walk and Branch also registered multi-hit days going 2-for-4 with three and two RBIs, respectively.

Crossland (L, 3-3) went four innings on the mound, surrendering seven runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. OU used five relievers in the contest with freshman Michael Catalano pacing the bullpen arms with two strikeouts.

The teams meet for the rubber match at 11 a.m. CT Saturday on SEC Network. The game can be heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF in Oklahoma or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

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