Sooners Fall in Series Opener at Alabama

Friday, March 28

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

21-4, 4-3

Alabama

24-3, 5-2

Oklahoma

Alabama

Sooners Fall in Series Opener at Alabama

March 28, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score Final Stats Highlights

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 9 Oklahoma fell 8-6 in the series opener at No. 12 Alabama Friday night in Tuscaloosa.

The Sooners (21-4, 4-3 SEC) battled back from a four-run deficit to take the lead in the eighth on a two-run home run from junior Dayton Tockey. The Crimson Tide (24-3, 5-2 SEC) responded with a three-run bottom of the eighth to earn the win. OU loaded the bases at the top of the ninth but Alabama escaped with a game-ending fielder's choice.

Following a scoreless first, the Tide jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second via single and sacrifice fly.

Alabama pushed its lead to four in the bottom of the third, starting with a leadoff home run from the nation's RBI leader, Justin Lebron. It was just the second home run given up this season by Sooner starter Kyson Witherspoon. The Tide added one more in the frame via a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

The Sooners struck back at the top of the fourth. After a leadoff single from freshman Kyle Branch, fellow frosh Drew Dickerson ripped his first collegiate home run to right field to cut the deficit in half.

A scoreless fifth ensued before Alabama scored its fifth run in the sixth via RBI single from Kade Snell. OU reliever James Hitt, who struck out the side in the fifth, left runners on the corners with a strikeout in the sixth to limit the damage.

OU punched back in the seventh with a two-run frame. After a leadoff single from junior Dawson Willis and a fielder's choice that allowed Jason Walk to reach without an out, sophomore Jaxon Willits dropped in an RBI single to right to score one. A double play allowed OU's fourth run to cross to bring the score to 5-4 at the stretch.

OU reliever Jason Bodin retired the side in the home half of the seventh with a pair of strikeouts before OU took its first lead of the game at the top of the eighth. Following a leadoff single from junior Trey Gambill, Tockey hit a deep two-run home run to right center to give OU a 6-5 lead.

The Tide responded with a three-run bottom of the eighth, scoring on a pair of singles and a double off the wall.

At the top of the ninth, OU threatened with a pair of walks and a single from Branch but a ground ball up the middle ended the threat and gave Alabama the series-opening victory.

Witherspoon exited after four innings, his shortest outing of the season, with a line of five hits, four runs (three earned), three walks and six strikeouts. Hitt (2.0 IP) struck out a season-best five, surrendering one run on three hits with one walk. Bodin (L, 2-1) took his first loss of the season, going one inning and giving up two runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Fellow relief pitchers Dylan Crooks (0.2) and Jaden Barfield (0.1) closed the contest with Crooks surrendering just his second run of the season on two hits.

At the plate, OU was paced by two-hit days from Branch and Willis, while Dickerson and Tockey each brought home a pair of runs.

The teams meet for the second game of the series at noon CT Saturday. The game will be shown to a national audience on SEC Network and can be heard in Oklahoma on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF or nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

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