NORMAN, Okla. (3/14/21) – Runs were certainly not at a premium on Sunday at L. Dale Mitchell Park, as Arkansas State launched four home runs in a 15-14 thriller in game one before Oklahoma took a 9-1 win in game two to split the doubleheader.
A-State (3-8) led a 14-8 lead through seven-and-a-half innings in the opener before the Sooners (7-7) surged back to make it 14-13 entering the ninth. After the Red Wolves picked up an insurance run in the top of the ninth, OU had the winning run in scoring position before
Kollin Stone forced a groundout to seal the A-State win.
The second half of the day-night twinbill saw the Sooners take an early lead and not look back, splitting the two contests and setting up the rubber match for Monday.
Jake Gish was led A-State at the plate in both outings, combining to go 5 for 8 with four RBIs, while
Jared Toler scored five times on the day.
GAME 1 - ARKANSAS STATE 15, OKLAHOMA 14
The wind was definitely sweeping across the plains of Oklahoma Sunday afternoon, as Arkansas State recorded its first four-home run game since Feb. 16, 2019, as part of eight combined longballs in an exciting 15-14 victory.
A-State struck first in the second with back-to-back solo homers to left by Gish and
Sky-Lar Culver to lead 2-0 after two. The Red Wolves plated five more in the third on a multitude of RBI singles, while a fielding error on a fielder's choice allowed
Tyler Duncan to score.
Will Gilmer took the mound to start the third and was greeted by a three-run shot by Tyler Hardman followed by a two-run homer by Tanner Tredaway to make it 7-5 with no outs in the bottom of the inning. A two-out wild pitch then scored Logan Kohler to make it 7-6, but Gilmer forced a flyout to end the frame.
The Red Wolves picked up an insurance run on an RBI groundout by
Jaylon Deshazier to score Gish in the fifth. In the sixth, a one-out single by
Drew Tipton followed by back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Duncan, who launched a 2-0 pitch to straightaway center for a grand slam to make it 12-6.
Oklahoma got two runs back in the seventh, but lefty
Walker Williams would get out of the jam without further damage as A-State led 12-8 after seven. The rookie tossed 4.0 innings, striking out three and walking none to earn the win – the first of his career.
Tipton led off the eighth with a solo shot to left-center before a sac fly by Gish drove in Toler to make it 14-8 entering the bottom of the eighth. OU made it 14-10 with back-to-back one-out homers off
Jack Jumper in the bottom of the eighth, then got a triple by Hardman for the cycle followed by a walk to put runners on the corners for
Kollin Stone, who came in to relieve Jumper.
After allowing a bases-loaded walk and a two-run single that put the winning run at second with two down, Stone forced Brandon Zaragoza to ground out to third and earned the save.
GAME 2 – OKLAHOMA 9, ARKANSAS STATE 1
In the second game, Oklahoma scored at least once in each of the first seven innings to take a 9-1 victory and even the series.
Oklahoma opened with a run in the first three innings, with A-State getting on the board in the top of the fourth on a sac fly by Gish to score Toler. The Sooners then added one each in the fourth, sixth and seventh and three in the fifth.
Carter Holt pitched the first 4.1 innings for the Red Wolves, taking the loss. Brandon Hudson and
Josh Albat closed out the remainder of the outing, with Albat pitching a shutout eighth inning.
Hardman collected three hits and reached base in all five plate appearances for the Sooners, scoring four runs to lead OU. Starter Jake Bennett went 5.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out six.
NEXT UP
A-State and Oklahoma will square off in the rubber contest at 1 p.m. CT Monday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The game will be streamed live on SoonerSports.tv with a subscription required, while the radio broadcast can be heard on 95.3 The Ticket.
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