OU Set for Round Rock Classic, Pair of Top-10 Foes

Friday, February 21

Round Rock, Texas

12 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

Minnesota

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OU Set for Round Rock Classic, Pair of Top-10 Foes

February 20, 2025 | Baseball

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NORMAN – No. 20/25 Oklahoma hits the road for the first time in 2025 for three games at the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. The Sooners meet Minnesota (Fri., Noon CT), No. 7 Oregon State (Sat., 4 p.m.) and No. 2 Virginia (Sun., 4 p.m.) at the home of Texas Rangers' Triple-A affiliate, Round Rock Express.

The games can be streamed via subscription on D1Baseball.com and can be heard on the radio in Oklahoma on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide on The Varsity app with Josh Helmer on the call.

The Sooners are coming off an opening-weekend sweep of Lehigh where they outscored the Mountain Hawks 36-7 and hit .394 as a team. The pitching staff struck out 32 and allowed just three extra-base hits.

This weekend marks the second time OU has played in the Round Rock Classic. The team went 2-1 in the 2021 installment with wins over Auburn (4-3) and Baylor (9-3) and a loss to Texas A&M (1-8). The Sooners are playing in their fifth Peak Events tournament in the last five seasons (2021, Round Rock Classic and Frisco Classic; 2023, Frisco Classic; 2024 Las Vegas Classic).

Oklahoma at Round Rock Classic
Date: Feb. 21-23
Times (CT): 12 p.m./4 p.m./4 p.m.
Location: Round Rock, Texas
Ballpark: Dell Diamond

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RECAPPING OPENING WEEKEND

• OU's opening weekend sweep was the first since a four-game sweep of Cal Poly in 2019 at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

• The Sooners outscored the Mountain Hawks 36-7 on the weekend, registering 37 hits to Lehigh's 12.

• OU's starting rotation of Kyson Witherspoon, Cameron Johnson and Malachi Witherspoon combined for 18 strikeouts and five runs on seven hits. The pitching staff totaled 32 strikeouts on the weekend and surrendered just three extra-base hits, with none being home runs.

• Junior RHP Kyson Witherspoon struck out nine batters, just two shy of his career high 11 (vs. WVU, 3/23/24). The righty has at least six K's in eight of his last nine starts dating back to last season.

• OU's offense registered 17 extra-base hits across the three games, led by junior Easton Carmichael's five.

• Carmichael went a combined 6-for-11 in the series with two home runs, two doubles, one triple and eight RBIs.

• OU's 16 strikeouts in the season opener was the most since fanning 16 vs. Texas in the 2022 Big 12 Championship game (5/29/22).

• OU's nine stolen bases in the second game marked the most since swiping 10 bags vs. Pacific on April 16, 2022. The school record is 12 (vs. East Central OK, 1937).

• Freshman Kyle Branch hit OU's second inside-the-park home run was in as many years (Bryce Madron IP GS vs. Baylor, 5/11/24)

• Junior transfer Dayton Tockey homered in his first plate appearance as a Sooner, while redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen hit a triple in his first.

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS

• The Sooners have an opportunity to bring back a pair of top-10 wins this weekend, facing off against consensus top-10 squads in Oregon State and Virginia.

• It will mark the first time OU has played back-to-back top-10 teams in the regular season since 2022 (No. 6 Oklahoma State, No. 8 Texas; 3/29-4/1) and the team's first top-five opponent since winning a series at No. 5 Texas Tech in 2022.

• No. 2 Virginia is the highest-ranked opponent since playing No. 2 Texas at the 2021 Big 12 Championship. OU last met the Cavaliers in 2020 at the Wahoos Classic in Pensacola, Fla., winning the three game series over UVA two games to one.

FIRST PITCH

• The Sooners returned 13 student-athletes from the 2024 team, including NCBWA All-American Easton Carmichael, 2025 Preseason All-SEC honoree and consensus preseason All-American, Kyson Witherspoon, and 2024 All-Big 12 selections Scott Mudler and Jaxon Willits. Also back in 2025 are outfielders Dasan Harris and Jason Walk, along with pitchers Dylan Crooks, Reid Hensley and James Hitt, among others.

• Oklahoma won the program's first Big 12 regular season title a season ago, finishing 40-21 overall. The 2024 season was highlighted by a conference-record six series sweeps and No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament. OU hosted an NCAA regional in Norman for the first time since 2010 and won 40 games for the second time in three years.

• OU enters its inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference, which features home series against Vanderbilt (2019 national champion), Mississippi State (2021 national champion), Ole Miss (2022 national champion), LSU (2023 national champion) and Texas.

• The Sooner pitching staff has been heralded throughout the preseason for its talent and potential heading into 2025. Looking to lead the way will be junior right-handed brothers Kyson and Malachi Witherspoon. The twins were electric for OU in 2024 with Kyson racking up 90 strikeouts and an 8-3 record as a starter, and Malachi embracing the closer role with five saves a season ago.

• OU's third starter on opening weekend will be lefty transfer Cameron Johnson from LSU. In limited action in 2024, Johnson struck out 13 in nine innings of work and will look to benefit from head coach and pitching coach Skip Johnson's tutelage in a Sooner uniform.

• In the batter's box, OU will look to be led by junior catcher Easton Carmichael. The NCBWA Third Team All-American in 2024, Carmichael is coming off a season in which he paced the Sooners with a .366 batting average, 93 hits and 64 RBIs. Also stepping into a leadership role will be sophomore shortstop Jaxon Willits. Willits, son of former Sooner and MLB veteran and current associate head coach Reggie Willits, blasted 10 home runs a season ago while making 54 starts.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Junior right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon has collected several preseason honors heading into the 2025 season, including preseason All-America nods from four different outlets: Baseball America (second team), D1 Baseball (second team), NCBWA (second team) and Perfect Game (first team).

• Witherspoon was also named to the Preseason All-SEC Team as a second team selection. He was one of nine starting pitchers named to the first or second teams.

• Witherspoon and junior catcher Easton Carmichael were both named to the 2025 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List. The award, given annually to the best amateur baseball player in the nation, announced the 55-player watch list last week. Oklahoma was tied for second with two players on the list.

• The Sooners were picked to finish 11th in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll by the conference's 16 head coaches. Texas A&M was predicted to win the 2025 conference crown, while five different schools received first place votes.

STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES

• Following the departure of numerous veterans from the 2024 squad in Kendall Pettis, Jackson Nicklaus, John Spikerman, Bryce Madron, Carter Campbell and Carson Atwood, among others, the 2025 squad will lean on new leadership as the team embarks on its first season in the SEC.

• The brothers Witherspoon, Kyson and Malachi, will look to pace the pitching staff in their starter roles, while returning seniors RHP Dylan Crooks, LHP Jamie Hitt and RHP Reid Hensley also bring a veteran presence.

• As for position players, junior catcher Easton Carmichael, sophomore shortstop Jaxon Willits, senior catcher Scott Mudler and sophomore outfielders Jason Walk and Dasan Harris will play major roles for the Sooners across the field in 2025.

NEWCOMERS LOOKING TO MAKE NOISE

• Looking to replace 22 lost letterwinners from 2024, the Sooner coaching staff hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail hard to bring in 28 newcomers for 2025.

• Of those 28, 16 are transfer student-athletes, including 11 from junior colleges, a testament to OU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Todd Butler and the OU staff's expertise at the JUCO level.

• The Sooners added a trio of Division I transfers in RHP Jason Bodin (Texas A&M), INF/OF Brayden Horton (Liberty) and LHP Cameron Johnson (LSU).

• Factoring into the starting mix will be numerous transfer names: 6'4" infielder and 2024 D-II Defensive Player of the Year, Dawson Willis, along with outfielder Brandon Cain from Mississippi State Gulf Coast CC, first baseman Dayton Tockey from Weatherford Junior College, two-way product Gavyn Jones from McLennan CC, outfielder Trey Gambill out of Salt Lake CC and INF/OF Sam Christiansen from South Mountain CC. Liberty transfer Horton and UT-Permian Basin addition Mason Hamlin should also be looking for playing time across the infield and outfield.

• Expected to be factors in Skip Johnson's rotation and bullpen include the likes of JUCO transfers LHP Cade Crossland and Beau Sampson and RHP Dylan Tate.

• Freshmen that look to play significant roles include Kyle Branch (2B) and Drew Dickerson (INF/OF), both Perfect Game Top-200 players out of high school at Lovejoy (TX) and Lee's Summit (MO) high schools, respectively. Other frosh additions that should see work include two-way righty Jackson Kircher, RHP Michael Catalano and lefty pitcher Jaden Barfield.

THE BEST BASEBALL CONFERENCE IN AMERICA

• Announced in 2021 was Oklahoma and Texas' move to the Southeastern Conference. The transition became official July 1, 2024, and the OU baseball program will look to make a name for itself in the premier baseball conference in the country in its maiden voyage in 2025.

• The Sooners are no strangers to competing against their new conference foes. Since head coach Skip Johnson's hiring in 2018, OU is 38-30 versus current members of the SEC (including Texas).

• The Sooners will play 30 conference games this season, highlighted by five home series versus four of the past five national champions (Vanderbilt [2019], Mississippi State [2021], Ole Miss [2022], LSU [2023]), and a home regular season finale vs. rival Texas.

• OU plays its first conference series as SEC members March 14-16 at South Carolina. The Sooners will also travel to Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri in 2025.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

• OU's 54-game slate is highlighted by 31 home games at L. Dale Mitchell Park in 2025, including conference series vs. LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Texas.

• On the schedule are 13 teams that made the 2024 NCAA tournament, including four Super Regional participants and two CWS teams from a season ago, Kentucky and Virginia.

• In the non-conference slate, OU will face preseason No. 2 Virginia and preseason top-10 Oregon State at the Round Rock Classic, Feb. 21-23 at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

• Oklahoma will play familiar foes and tournament contenders Dallas Baptist and Oral Roberts twice each on midweeks and meet 2024 tourney team Louisiana Tech for the first time since 1993 on a Wednesday at Mitchell Park.

RANKINGS CHATTER

• The Sooners entered the season at No. 20 in the Perfect Game USA Preseason Poll and No. 25 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and held steady after the first week of action. The Sooners are the fifth team out of the top 25 in the NCBWA poll and are unranked in the other two major polls: Baseball America and D1 Baseball.

• The Sooners went 4-1 in ranked contests throughout the regular season in 2024, with all four wins coming against top-15 opponents.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on X/Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.