Sooners Fall in SEC Quarterfinals to Vanderbilt

Thursday, May 22

Hoover, Ala.

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

35-20

Vanderbilt

40-16

Oklahoma

Vanderbilt

Sooners Fall in SEC Quarterfinals to Vanderbilt

May 22, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score Final Stats

HOOVER, Ala. — Oklahoma's time at the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover came to a close with a 6-1 loss to Vanderbilt in the quarterfinals Thursday evening.

The 12-seed OU went 2-1 in its inaugural appearance in the SEC tourney with wins over 13-seed Kentucky (5-1) and fifth-seeded and No. 10 Georgia (3-2).

The Sooners (35-20) were stifled by Vanderbilt (40-16) pitching on the night, striking out a season high 17 times while leaving 10 runners on base.

The first two innings went scoreless from both sides as starting left-handed pitchers Cade Crossland for OU and JD Thompson for Vanderbilt blanked the other's offense.

Vanderbilt broke through in the third with four runs on four hits and an OU error. After a pair of singles and error that loaded the bases, an RBI groundout pushed the first run of the game across. All-SEC honoree RJ Austin then lifted a two-run double down the left line, followed by an RBI double from first baseman Riley Nelson to make it 4-0 Vanderbilt after three.

OU scratched its first run of the game across in the fourth. After a leadoff hit by pitch to redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen followed by a walk to sophomore Jaxon Willits, fellow sophomore Jason Walk plated one on a groundout to third. The Sooners left a pair of runners in scoring position on a groundout.

Vanderbilt answered in the home half of the fourth on a bases-loaded infield single by Austin. OU sophomore left-handed reliever Gavyn Jones entered and left the bases loaded to keep the deficit at 5-1.

To the fifth, OU threatened again on a two-out single from junior Easton Carmichael and Christiansen's second HBP of the evening but couldn't turn either into a run.

OU righty Jason Bodin entered in the fifth and hurled a pair of scoreless innings before giving way to fellow righty reliever Reid Hensley in the seventh with a runner on. The Commodores got the runner home on a double to left from left fielder Braden Holcomb.

The Sooners loaded the bases in the eighth. A leadoff hit by pitch followed by a pair of walks forced a Vanderbilt pitching change. OU couldn't get the big hit to pull the game closer as a strikeout ended the threat before the Sooners went down in order in the ninth.

Junior right-handed pitcher Dylan Tate made his season debut in the bottom of the eighth, missing the regular season due to injury. The Jefferson College transfer faced four batters in his inning of work, striking out one and walking one.

Crossland (L, 4-5) took the loss in 3.2 innings, surrendering three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

Jones (0.1 IP), Bodin (2.1), Hensley (0.2) and Tate (1.0) closed the game for OU with Tate fanning one.

At the plate, Carmichael and Willits registered OU's two hits on the night while senior Scott Mudler and freshman Kyle Branch each drew a pair of walks. Walk brought in OU's lone run.

The OU offense struck out a season high 17 times on the evening as Vanderbilt starter Thompson fanned 11.

The Sooners conclude their time in Hoover with a pair of wins, including a top-10 win over No. 10 Georgia on Wednesday. OU holds 11 Quadrant 1 victories on the season, including five wins over top-10 teams.

Oklahoma looks for its fourth consecutive and 42nd NCAA postseason appearance as the team awaits its NCAA postseason fate to be announced Monday during the NCAA Selection Show at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2.

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