Oklahoma Sooners Baseball: Wichita State Snaps OU’s 12-Game Win Streak

Oklahoma’s 12-game win streak came to an end on Tuesday night, as Wichita State topped the Sooners by a score of 4-2 at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

OU starter Dylan Grove had some really good stuff on the mound, as he was able to strike out nine batters in 4.0 IP. However, his two earned runs earned him his first loss of the season.

The Sooners were only able to muster up five hits (and only one extra-base hit) against Wichita State’s six arms on Tuesday evening. Additionally, they stranded nine batters against the Shockers, which ultimately did them in.

Grove got himself into a jam in the second inning by allowing an infield single and a walk, and then loaded the bases by hitting WSU’s Gunnar Troutwine. However, he was able to get himself out of the bases-loaded jam with a clutch strikeout of Jordan Boyer. He faced even more danger in the third but was able to get out of it with his sixth and seventh strikeouts of the game.

Steele Walker made things interesting in the third with a two-out, standup double off the wall in left-center, and Austin O’Brien was able to drive him home with a single to put the Sooners on the board. After a Jack Flansburg walk, Brylie Ware hit a deep shot to center that ran out of steam to end the inning and strand a pair.

Wichita State tied it up in the top of the 4th with a Boyer RBI single to score Troutwine. Brady Lindsly should’ve had him at home, but he was unable to corral a phenomenal throw from Walker.

Grove’s evening ended in the 5th after allowing a walk and a single to open the inning. After a double-steal, WSU’s Travis Young scored on an RBI groundout to give them the lead. Reliever Austin Kerns really did about as much as could’ve been asked in the inning, getting two strikeouts and a groundout without allowing a hit. The Shockers extended their lead in the sixth with two runs on two hits. The inning should have ended with an out a first base, but a questionable call from the umpire and some absent-minded defense resulted in two runs on the play.

The Sooners were able to put runners at the corners in the 7th, and Renae Martinez was able to come home on a wild pitch to bring OU back within two runs. However, the Sooners weren’t able to muster anything else in the inning.

The Sooners threatened once more in the bottom of the 9th, as OU had two on with one out. Domenic DeRenzo roped one to deep left, but a great play in the outfield by Young prevented OU from grabbing multiple runs. Kyle Mendenhall then struck out looking to end the game.

The Sooners will be back in action against Buffalo for a three-game series starting on Thursday. After this weekend, the road will get much tougher for the Sooners, who will head to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Kennesaw State, followed by a midweek contest in Stillwater against Oklahoma State.