Sooner baseball drops final Bedlam game, loses series 2-1

OU baseball lost a heartbreaker to Oklahoma State, 11-10, in the final game of this year’s Bedlam series after a walk-off single by OSU in the 10th inning.

Bedlam lived up to its name Sunday in the instant classic that saw OSU come back from being down four runs in the eighth inning, only for OU to tie the game in the top half of the ninth.

The Sooners again got off to a hot start, scoring one in the first and another two in the third. Oklahoma State countered with one of its own in the first but did not answer again thanks to solid pitching from freshman starter Dillon Overton for OU.

Overton played well through the first four innings, giving up only one run from six hits and getting out of trouble with runners in scoring position in the first three innings.

The freshman got into trouble in the fifth, though, and was unable to recover. OU coach Sunny Golloway pulled Overton in favor of senior Bobby Shore. The righty came in to get Overton off the hook by throwing a strikeout and forcing a double play.

OU was coasting throughout, picking up another two runs each in the fifth and the eighth innings. The Sooners had a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning when OU unraveled.

Shore got the first batter of the inning to ground out, but the second batter reached base on a single. Golloway pulled Shored for senior closer Ryan Duke.

Duke immediately let up two base hits and a run to close the gap to three. After forcing a pop up, Duke faced the top of Oklahoma State’s lineup and was unable to take care of business. Each of the next four batters reached base, allowing four runs to score and the Cowboys to take an 8-7 lead.

Golloway then relieved his closer, who finished with 0.1 innings pitched and six runs, four of which were earned.

Jordan John came in and forced a grounder back to the mound, but junior first baseman Cameron Seitzer could not finish the play and was charged with an error that allowed a run and continued the inning. Another run came across before the eighth would end, bringing the score to 10-7.

In the top half of the ninth, OU had two of their first three hitters walk. After a groundout that pushed the runners into scoring position, OSU junior closer Chris Marlowe walked OU junior third baseman Garrett Buechele to load the bases. Junior catcher Tyler Ogle then singled through the left side to drive in two runs and move junior pinch hitter Chris Ellison to second. The next batter was walked on five pitches to bring up Seitzer with the bases loaded. On the first pitch, Marlowe plunked Seitzer in the leg to bring in the tying run.

Just like the Sooners, OSU also had to remove their closer. The Cowboys brought in junior Hunter Herrera, who forced a fly out to end the inning.

OSU would get on base in the bottom half, but was unable to capitalize, forcing the game into extra innings.

In the 10th, junior center fielder Eric Ross was able to single and steal second, but junior pinch hitter Cody Reine could not drive him in.

In the bottom half, OSU’s leadoff hitter singled, followed by a sacrifice bunt to move him to second. After an intentional walk by senior pitcher Tyson Seng, senior second baseman and team captain Davis Duren came to bat.

On the second pitch, Duren singled up the middle to bring in the runner from second and win the game for the Cowboys.

The Sooners dropped their second straight Big 12 series and dropped to fifth in the conference standings.

Golloway felt that Duke’s unraveling in the eighth was untimely.

“Over the past three years, Ryan Duke has been outstanding finishing games,” Golloway said. “The odds are against you at some point, and it happened at a bad time.”

Golloway does think that Duke — and the team — will recover.

“He’s a warrior, and he’s going to come back and fight,” Golloway said. “He’ll be fine, and we’ll be fine.”

Despite being only 7-7 in conference, Golloway is confident and hopes to see OSU again soon in the Big 12 tournament.

“We’ll go home and we’ll say a prayer, and hopefully God will let us to play them in the Big 12 tournament,” Golloway said. “If we could arrange it perfectly for a Big 12 title, it would be even better.

OU will take the next step toward that tournament Tuesday when they take on Dallas Baptist at home, followed by a make-up game against Bacone on Wednesday. Big 12 play resumes next weekend when the Nebraska Cornhuskers come to Norman.

» Game 1 (Tulsa) — L, 8-7

» Game 2 (OKC) — W, 7-5

Ryan Gerbosi

Ryan is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as News Reporter and Sports Reporter.