How OU baseball's John Spikerman helped spark Sooners to first Big 12 championship

NORMAN — The Sooners are champions.

Following its series sweep of Baylor and Oklahoma State's cancellation of its game against Texas Tech on Sunday due to weather, OU baseball captured the outright Big 12 title over the weekend.

OU outscored Baylor 47-15 in three games.

There is still work to do. The Sooners travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, for four games. One against Xavier on Tuesday and a three-game slate against the Bearcats.

OU is in the driver’s seat to host a regional, and a series win over Cincinnati could put the Sooners in contention for a top-eight spot in the NCAA tournament. Baseball America’s latest field of 64 projection last week had OU hosting a regional.

The Sooners were ranked No. 15 in USA TODAY’s latest coaches poll.

More: Why OU baseball retiring former coach Enos Semore's jersey was 'really important'

No. 15 OU

• Overall record: 32-17, 21-6 (first)

• Last week: 3-0 (beat Baylor 19-7, 9-1, 19-7)

• This week: at Xavier, 11 a.m. Tuesday (canceled); at Cincinnati, 4 p.m. Thursday on ESPN+, 4 p.m. Friday on ESPN+, 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN+

OU baseball player of the week

John Spikerman, outfielder: For the second consecutive week, John Spikerman takes this spot. Since suffering a hand injury that required hamate surgery and sidelined him for a little less than a month, Spikerman has been the Sooners’ most consistent hitter. He finished the weekend 9 for 13 at the plate with a home run and 10 RBIs, earning Big 12 Player of the Week honors. The home run was a grand slam smacked to deep right field and was OU’s first grand slam since Jackson Nicklaus’ during the 2022 College World Series. Spikerman is hitting .407 with three home runs and 27 RBIs in 118 at-bats this season. He’s also walked 14 times.

OU baseball player on the rise

Carson Atwood, right-handed pitcher: Sundays have been a struggle for OU’s pitching throughout the season. But for two consecutive weeks, Skip Johnson and the Sooners have found something in reliever Carson Atwood, who struck out a pair in 2 ⅔ scoreless innings and earned his first win of the season on Sunday. James Hitt earned the start but lasted one inning. The more starting options and depth a club has down the stretch the better.

“I think (Carson) can start in a role for us,” Johnson said last week.

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OU baseball stat to know

1: The Sooners’ outright Big 12 title is the program’s first conference crown in the Big 12 era and 23rd conference title overall. OU’s last conference championship came in the Big Eight in 1995.

OU-Xavier canceled due to weather

OU baseball's game against Xavier, scheduled for 11 a.m. CT Tuesday in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been canceled due to forecasted rain throughout the day, the school announced.

The game was previously moved from its original 2 p.m. CT time start to 11 a.m. CT before being canceled altogether. The Sooners will be back in action for a three-game set at Cincinnati to close the regular season.

Oklahoma clinched the outright Big 12 regular season championship over the weekend. The Big 12 tournament begins May 21 and ends May 25 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The Sooners swept Baylor last weekend and outfielder John Spikerman was named the Big 12's Player of the Week on Monday for his performance against the Bears.

First pitch for Game 1 against the Bearcats is set for 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU baseball outfielder John Spikerman hot at plate for Big 12 winners