Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma used five stolen bases and a series of clutch two-out hits to defeat Wichita State 5-3 on Tuesday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Sooners (6-5) used eight pitchers on the evening, getting a solid start from Will Carsten before the parade of relievers. Carsten held the Shockers off the board for three innings, giving time for Oklahoma to grab an early lead they did not relinquish. After Wichita State starter Tyler Dobbs tossed zeroes in each of the first two innings, the Sooners pushed across a run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly from Easton Carmichael. Another productive out in the fourth doubled the advantage, as Rocco Garza-Gongora plated a run with a ground out.
Oklahoma grabbed a pair of crucial two-out runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0. Carmichael and Jackson Nicklaus both rapped run-scoring singles after the first two hitters in the inning were retired.
Wichita State (7-4) cut the deficit in half by getting the two runs right back in the top of the sixth. Derek Williams homered for a third consecutive game, launching an opposite field two-run blast to slice the Oklahoma lead to 4-2.
Carmichael responded with a two-out solo homer of his own in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-2 advantage. Josh Livingston came off the bench with his second pinch-hit homer of the season in the ninth, cranking a long blast over the wall in right that produced the final margin. Oklahoma's Malachi Witherspoon bounced back after the homer and recorded the final two outs to nail down his first save.
Dobbs (1-1) took the loss despite allowing just one earned run over 3.2 innings. Six Wichita State relievers followed, allowing three runs (two earned) over the final 4.1 innings. Freshman Drew Iverson struck out a career-best three hitters to highlight the efforts out of the bullpen.
Grant Stevens (1-0) earned the win for Oklahoma, allowing one run in 2.2 innings in relief.
The Shockers return home on Friday to open a three-game series against Long Beach State. First pitch of the series opener is scheduled for 3:00 pm.