Oklahoma Baseball: Sooners Fall to No. 4 Oklahoma State in Bedlam Finale

The Cowboys' offense got started early, jumping out to a quick lead they would not relinquish.

STILLWATER – The 2022 Bedlam baseball series is all tied up.

Following Oklahoma’s gut-wrenching loss to No. 4 Oklahoma State on Saturday night, the two in-state foes met once again for the rubber match of their three-game weekend series in Stillwater.

While the Sooners found a way to win the first two matchups with the Cowboys this season, it would be the Pokes winning again on Sunday 9-4 to even up the season series at two games apiece.

Getting the ball for Oklahoma was left-hander Chazz Martinez, who did not have his best stuff on Sunday.

Through a plethora of hard contact, the OU left-hander allowed five earned runs and eleven hits in just three and two-thirds innings of work.

"I thought he tried too hard," head coach Skip Johnson said postgame. "I thought he tried to go out and win the game instead of taking it one pitch at a time. And you're going to have that. That's the learning curve for him."

The Cowboys got the scoring started in the bottom of the second in loud fashion as right fielder Nolan McLean pounded a three-run home run to left field to lead 3-0.

No doubt about it 💣#OurStandard I @nolanmclean11 pic.twitter.com/y4vRRhQHYY

— OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) April 10, 2022

The Pokes would add onto their advantage two innings later in the fourth with Aidan Meola and Jake Thompson teaming up with run-scoring hits to extend the OSU edge to 5-0.

"When you're playing from behind, you got to separate balls and strikes," Johnson said. "You got to try and get baserunners, and we had a few there early get picked off on a play he's not even running on. Just little bitty simple stuff that ends up taking the momentum and putting right back in their (Oklahoma State's) dugout."

After scoring another on a wild pitch in the fifth, the Cowboys tacked on two more in the sixth inning with designated hitter Griffin Doersching ripping an RBI single up the middle followed by a run coming across on a fielder’s choice.

Now trailing 8-0, Oklahoma would show some signs of life in the seventh inning scratching across three runs with Cade Horton scoring on an error, Trent Brown scoring on a fielder's choice and Tanner Tredaway picking up an RBI single. 

After the Cowboys added another insurance run in the eighth, Peyton Graham would keep OU alive in the ninth with a two-out solo home run to trim the deficit to 9-4.

"I don't think the guys ever quit or gave up or anything," Johnson said. "They're competitive and they've got some grit. And it just shows you, you can't go up there and get behind hitters and expect to win baseball games."

But, that would be it for the Sooners as Blake Robertson flew out to deep left field to end the game. 

Just as they did a week ago, Oklahoma came up just short of getting a huge series win against a rival in-conference - providing more growing moments for a team hoping to return to the NCAA Tournament. 

"We're still learning," Johnson said. "And I guarantee you, we'll be better at the end."

The loss drops Oklahoma to 18-12 on the season and below .500 in Big 12 play at 4-5.

The Sooners will look to respond on Tuesday night against No. 5 Texas Tech for a non-conference matchup at 6 p.m. in Amarillo, TX.