Sports briefs

No. 9 OU evens series at No. 12 Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 9 Oklahoma evened the series at No. 12 Alabama with a 6-5 win Saturday afternoon.

A back-and-forth affair, Alabama (24-4, 5-3 SEC) tied the game in the bottom of the seventh after OU had built a three-run lead early in the game. OU responded with two runs at the top of the ninth to go ahead and closer Dylan Crooks slammed the door with a strikeout looking to strand two runners in scoring position.

Sooner starting southpaw Cade Crossland turned in a quality start, going six innings and scattering six hits with two runs, two walks and a season-best seven strikeouts.

Oklahoma built a 3-0 lead early in the contest with single runs at the top of the first, second and third innings.

The scoring began with an RBI single in the first off the bat of junior Dayton Tockey, bringing home Trey Gambill. Gambill extended his hit streak to eight games with a one-out single before Tockey pushed him across.

Redshirt sophomore Sam Christiansen opened the second with a bang, scorching the first pitch of the inning down the right field line for his fourth home run of the season. In the third, OU continued to build its lead with a sacrifice fly RBI from sophomore Jaxon Willits.

Alabama broke through with single runs across the third and fourth. A solo home run in the third and RBI single in the fourth cut OU’s lead to one.

Scoreless fifth and sixth innings ensued before both teams pushed runs across in the seventh. In the top half, junior Dawson Willis drew a leadoff walk and two batters later, sophomore Jason Walk brought him home on a base hit up the middle.

The Crimson Tide tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a groundout and Sooner error. OU relief pitcher Jason Bodin stranded one to keep the contest tied at 4-4.

The teams meet for the rubber game Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.

Kansas edges O-State in baseball

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Oklahoma State dropped a 12-11 contest to Kansas in 11 innings Saturday at Hoglund Ballpark.

With the loss, the Cowboys fell to 12-12 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play, while KU improved to 22-6 and 5-3 in the conference.

OSU took an 11-9 lead in the top of the 11th on a two-run home run by Brock Thompson, but the Jayhawks answered with a three-run, walk-off shot from Sawyer Smith in the bottom of the inning.

Brayden Smith continued his hot hitting for the Pokes, mashing a home run and extending his hitting streak to 11 games, while Alex Conover was 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBIs. Thompson added a pair of hits and drove in three runs.

Sean Youngerman took the loss on the mound as he gave up three runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings.

KU took the game’s initial lead in the third inning on Jackson Hauge’s 12th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field.

But the Cowboys answered in their next at bat to take their first lead of the series. After a one-out walk to Kollin Ritchie, Jayson Jones singled, and Beau Sylvester followed with his second hit of the game to tie the score at 1-1. Up next, Thompson delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to put OSU on top.

The lead did not last, however, as a two-run homer off the bat of Ian Francis in the bottom of the inning put KU ahead, 3-2. A solo blast two batters later extended the advantage to two.

In the sixth, the Jayhawks added to their lead once again, rallying for four runs to take an 8-2 lead; the big blow came on a two-RBI double by Tommy Barth.

OSU would cut into that lead in the seventh. Following a leadoff walk and a Conover double, Smith stepped to the plate and delivered his team-high seventh homer of the season, a three-rum bomb to left field that made the score 8-5.

After another solo homer for KU in the seventh, the Pokes continued their comeback in the eighth when Conover smacked a three-run homer to left-center field to make it a one-run game.

The Cowboys would get the tying run with two outs in the ninth when Donovan LaSalle scored on a wild pitch.

Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Cowgirl softball run rules Penn State

ATLANTA – A five-run sixth inning powered No. 17 Oklahoma State Softball to a 10-2 victory over Penn State at Mewborn Field Saturday.

The Cowgirls improved to 21-9 with the win, and the Nittany Lions dropped to 14-17.

Megan Bloodworth opened the scoring for Oklahoma State in the second inning with an RBI single to score Megan Delgadillo.

The Cowgirls extended the lead to four runs in the third off two Penn State errors and a single from Micaela Wark which scored Rosie Davis.

Penn State cut the deficit to two runs in the fifth inning thanks to two solo home runs from Haylie Brunson and Meagan Ricks, but Oklahoma State tallied another run in the bottom of the inning with a triple from pinch hitter Claire Timm to score Rachael Hathoot.

The Cowgirls plated five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to close out the contest. Karli Godwin doubled down the left field line to score Tia Warsop and Tallen Edwards, and Delgadillo singled in Amanda Hasler.