Why Kyson Witherspoon has been OU baseball's bright spot in Sooners' recent struggles
NORMAN — Following its sweep of then-No. 12 TCU, OU baseball has lost its last six of eight games.
Head coach Skip Johnson’s crew is enduring a slump.
The Sooners began their season with a 13-6 record en route to a No. 17 ranking on March 21. They even landed a Baseball America projection last week listing them as a NCAA Regional host. Oklahoma was swept by Lamar — which owned the nation’s longest winning streak with 13 wins a week ago before falling to Houston — last weekend, but is still in first place in the Big 12 with a 7-2 conference record.
OU lost its ranking in Monday’s D1 Baseball poll, but has an opportunity to right the ship this weekend if it musters a series win over in-state rival Oklahoma State. The Cowboys stumbled out of the gate in 2024, but have picked up their play of late, winning five of their last six.
OSU defeated the Sooners in a midweek nonconference matchup 14-5 on March 12 at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman. OSU was clearly the better team then, so this weekend in Stillwater will be telling on where OU is heading.
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OU is outperforming expectations after being picked to finish sixth in the conference’s preseason poll, but has yet to play consistent baseball. Johnson has preached preparation and staying even-keeled to his club all season, which hasn’t appeared to translate to the field yet.
The Sooners’ offense has been solid. Second baseman Jackson Nicklaus leads the way, batting .393 with five home runs. Washington transfer Michael Snyder has held down the hot corner defensively and has powered five homers.
Pitching is where Johnson’s group has suffered the last few weeks. Oklahoma allowed an average 10.3 runs per game over its last three contests. Lamar designated hitter Zak Skinner finished 5 for 5 with two home runs and six RBIs on Friday night. By comparison, OU collected 10 total hits as a team.
Time will tell if it can keep the Cowboys’ bats at bay and get the season back on track.
Here’s a look back at the week:
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OU
Overall record: 15-12, 7-2 Big 12 (first)
Last week: 1-3 (beat Oral Roberts 10-0; lost to Lamar 12-10, 13-8, 6-3)
This week: vs. Wichita State, 6 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN+; at Oklahoma State, 6 p.m. Friday on ESPN+, 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+, 1 p.m. Sunday on ESPN+
OU baseball player on the rise
Kyson Witherspoon, sophomore pitcher: While OU’s pitching has been abysmal during its slump, one standout is Northwest Florida State College transfer Kyson Witherspoon. The righty has pitched 32 innings, which ranks second on the team, and has a team-leading ERA of 1.41. He’s also fanned 37 hitters and only walked 13. He’s started two games. Expect him to get the ball more in the coming weeks. Oklahoma will need his arm not only this weekend but moving forward if it wants to stay in contention.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU baseball: Kyson Witherspoon bright spot in recent Sooners struggles
