COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 16 Oklahoma built early leads in both ends of Friday's doubleheader with University of Missouri baseball, pulling away for a 17-7 victory over the Tigers in the first game, before completing the sweep of the two clubs' Southeastern Conference series with a 12-1 decision in the nightcap at Taylor Stadium.
The Sooners (29-10, 10-8 SEC) rode big days from Jaxon Willits and Easton Carmichael, who combined to go 12-for-18 with 10 runs scored and 14 RBIs in the two-game sweep. OU gashed Mizzou pitching for 18 hits – a season high for a Tigers opponent – in the opener, using four-run rallies in the third and fourth innings against MU starter Kaden Jacobi (2-6) to establish a lead that MU would never seriously threaten.
Carmichael belted a pair of home runs in the opener – a two-run shot in the third and a three-run blast in the Sooners' six-run eighth – finishing 3-for-4 with six RBIs, while Willits went 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three more driven in to lead OU. Jason Walk also come through in a big way for OU, following Carmichael's home run in the third with a two-run round-tripper of his own as part of a 2-for-4 effort. Willits added a key two-run double in the fourth, before Carmichael plated another run with a sacrifice fly that extended the Sooners' margin to 8-0.
Starting pitcher Kyson Witherspoon (7-2) held the Tigers in check, striking out 10 over 6.0 innings, including five of the first seven hitters of the day. He wouldn't allow a hit until Kaden Peer launched a two-run homer in the fourth, but rebounded to fan four of the final seven MU hitters he faced.
Carmichael's second home run highlighted the eighth, with Sam Christiansen and Drew Dickerson adding RBI-doubles in the rally for OU.
Peer led Mizzou (13-26, 0-18 SEC) with a three-hit, three-RBI performance, and Brock Daniels added a two-run homer to cap his 2-for-4 game.
Game two followed a similar pattern, as the Sooners struck for four runs in the opening inning, then added four more to hike their lead to 8-1 in the second. Carmichael once again powered the early outburst with his third home run of the day – a three-run blast in the first after a walk and a Willits double ignited the rally. Kyle Branch delivered a solo shot later in the first, before Dickinson went deep to open the second and Christiansen added a three-run homer to give OU a seven-run lead.
Mizzou struggled to find its offensive footing against Malachi Witherspoon (3-4), who fanned eight while allowing just one run on three hits in his 5.0 innings. The Tigers lone run came in the first inning, thanks to a walk, a hit batsman and a Pierre Seals RBI-single.
Xavier Lovett gave MU a lift out of the bullpen in relief of Tony Neubeck (0-2), holding the Sooners to two runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- Missouri drops to 110-157-1 all-time against Oklahoma with the loss.
- Jackson Lovich singled and scored in the first, tallying his team-leading 45th hit and 29th run, respectively.
- Seals saw his career-best seven-game hit streak come to an end with his 0-for-4 effort in the first contest.
- Seals' single in game two resulted in his 16th RBI of the season – becoming the sixth Tiger to reach that number this season.
- Lovett's 4.1 innings marked his longest in SEC play and his second-longest outing overall as a Tiger, trailing only his 5.0 innings vs. Binghamton on March 7.
UP NEXT
The Tigers embark on a five-game road swing, beginning with a Tuesday evening non-conference contest against Missouri State. First pitch from Hammons Field in Springfield is slated for 6:30 p.m.
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