OU baseball drops doubleheader vs. Texas in 'unfortunate' ending

NORMAN — The 2024 baseball series between OU and Texas couldn’t have had much more of an anti-climatic ending.

Play was stopped in the top of the eighth inning during the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader due to the threat of severe weather approaching L. Dale Mitchell Park.

After more than an hour of waiting, the rest of the matchup was called off and Texas was awarded the win as it led 12-10 at the time of the stoppage.

The victory was Texas’ second of the day over the 18th-ranked Sooners (26-16, 15-6 Big 12), and the Longhorns won the series 2-1.

Texas (27-18, 13-8) was hitting and there were no outs in the eighth when the game was stopped at 8:37 p.m. It was officially called off less than 10 minutes before 10 p.m. and everything that happened in the top of the eighth inning, including a hit by Texas’ Jalin Flores, was nullified.

“It’s an unfortunate way for the series to end that way between two competitive baseball teams fighting for the top of the conference,” OU coach Skip Johnson said in a statement. “It’s never what you want to have, a game not decided on the field.”

The odd ending capped a great day for Texas, which lost to OU 9-4 in the series opener Friday and beat the Sooners 8-6 in Sunday’s first game.

Texas’s offense exploded in the series finale as five Longhorns — Max Belyeu, Peyton Powell, Casey Borba, Rylan Galvan and Will Gasparino — hit home runs.

Here are some other takeaways from the doubleheader.

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Texas ties program record with six home runs

Texas tied a program record as it hit six home runs in its 11-0 win against UT Arlington on Tuesday.

In the second game against OU on Sunday, the Longhorns did the exact same thing.

A homer by Max Belyeu in the seventh inning was Texas’ sixth and Belyeu’s second of the game.

Also homering for the Longhorns were Peyton Powell, Casey Borba, Rylan Galvan and Will Gasparino.

This was the sixth time Texas hit six homers in a game.

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OU scores four runs in two-out rally in third inning

As great as Texas’ offense was in the second game, OU consistently responded and kept it close.

OU’s offense had its best inning of the day in the third, and it came when the Sooners needed it.

OU trailed 6-1 with two outs in the bottom of the frame, but Jackson Nicklaus hit an RBI triple before Kendall Pettis drove him in on a single. Jaxon Willits launched a two-run homer over the left field wall on a full count later in the frame, cutting Texas’ lead to 6-5.

Nicklaus and Willits led OU offensively throughout game two.

Nicklaus, who played second base, went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs. Willits, the Sooners’ shortstop, finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.

Despite the losses, OU remains first in the Big 12 standings with a one-game lead over Oklahoma State and West Virginia, which both have tiebreakers over OU.

Anthony Mackenzie leads OU’s offense in first game

OU had its moments offensively in the first game Sunday, and Anthony Mackenzie had a lot to do with that.

The senior finished 2 for 4 with a game-high three RBIs.

Mackenzie, who played third base, drove in two runs on a double in the third inning and another on a single in the fifth.

Mackenzie played his first three seasons of college baseball at Sam Houston State before transferring to OU and earning Big 12 honorable mention honors last season.

With him leading the way, OU outhit Texas 9-7.

Along with Mackenzie, Easton Carmichael had a solid showing as he went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.

OU pitching staff struggles

OU had five pitchers take the mound in each game.

Kyson Witherspoon started for OU in the opener and took the loss after allowing five hits and five runs in 5 ⅓ innings.

Grant Stevens struggled as he started the second game and took his first loss of the season. He lasted just 2 ⅔ innings and allowed seven hits and six runs.

Earning victories on the mound for Texas in the two games were relievers Chase Lummus and Cade O’Hara, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU baseball drops doubleheader vs. Texas in 'unfortunate' ending