Dakota Harris’ two-run double in the 8th wins it for the Sooners.

Win Column Sooners! Oklahoma Baseball bounces back from the rough weekend to beat Air Force, improving to (2-2) on the year. For the first time this year, the Sooners drew first blood with none other than SS Dakota Harris doubling in the 1st to score two. Air Force, however, would not go down without a fight as they eventually took a 6-4 lead in the 6th inning. 

This time around the Sooners were unfazed, fighting their way back into the game. In the 5th inning, 3B Wallace Clark singled to score RF Bryce Madron. Then, in the 6th inning, Anthony Mackenzie tied it up for the Sooners on a sac fly to score C Easton Carmichael. After that came the electrifying 8th inning, with SS Dakota Harris ripping one all the way to the fence, scoring both runners, RF Bryce Madron and LF Kendall Pettis. On the day, Dakota Harris went 2-5 with two doubles and four RBIs, scoring half of the Sooners’ runs this afternoon.

Pitching

In a bullpen game for the Sooners, RHP Gray Harrison was given the ball first. Harrison went two innings, striking out three, only giving up one run, a much-improved performance for him compared to Saturday that lowered his ERA to 12.00. 

Next up for the Sooners was the 6-5 freshman RHP Carson Turnquist from Paso Robles, California. Turnquist first appearance for the Sooners wasn’t as bad as it may look. Yes, he did give up a two-run HR to give him a 13.50 ERA, but he finished strong in the inning tallying a strikeout, and never surrendering the Sooners’ lead. 

The next pitcher of choice for Skip Johnson this afternoon was the 6-7 freshman LHP Julien Hachem from Oak Park, Illinois. Hachem got the Sooners out of the 4th inning with no additional damage, leaving two runners on base for Air Force. He did give up two doubles in the 5th inning, leading to two earned runs being tallied to his name. In Hachem’s one inning of work, he tallied two strikeouts with an 18.00 ERA.

The next pitcher this afternoon was another RHP making his first appearance for the Sooners. RHP Adam Walker is a junior transfer from Dodge City CC. Walker did give up the HR to his first batter faced, but he bounced back, pitching 2.1 innings, only allowing one hit following the home run to left field. Walker’s ERA is 3.86. 

To close out the game, Skip Johnson turned to Cowley CC transfer and RHP Carson Pierce. Pierce was once again lights-out, not allowing a single run. Pierce faced eight batters, striking out two of them to keep his ERA perfect at 0.00 in 2 outings.

Next up for the Sooners

The Sooners are back in action for another single-game matchup, this time at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas against the (3-1) Abilene Christian Wildcats on Wednesday at 6 PM CT. Following the single-game road trip, the Sooners will return to L. Dale Mitchell Park for a 3-game series vs the (3-1) Rider Broncs.

Cover photo courtesy of @OU_Baseball on Twitter.