Oklahoma
KSR's 2025 SEC Baseball Preview: Oklahoma
With the 2025 College Baseball season just around the corner, KSR will be previewing all 15 SEC teams that will be competing with Kentucky for an SEC crown this season. Up next; the Oklahoma Sooners.
The 2025 season will mark the first in the SEC for both Oklahoma and Texas. The Sooners, who compiled a 40-21 (23-7) record in 2024, won the Big 12 Regular Season Championship in their final season in the conference. They fell to rival Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament Finals.
Oklahoma brings a prestigious program to the nation’s premier baseball conference. The Sooners have made the NCAA Tournament 16 times since 2000, including two Men’s College World Series appearances (2010 and 2022) with a runner-up finish in 2022. Head coach Skip Johnson is about to embark on his seventh season as head man in Norman, compiling a 229-153 (85-65) record in that span.
The Sooners, who were left out of D1Baseball’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings, were listed as a Preseason Top 25 outsider.
Returning Players:
- Jr. C Easton Carmichael (2024: 61 G, .366 AVG, 19 2B, 7 HR, 64 RBI, .563 SLG%, .406 OBP%)
- So. INF Jaxon Willits (2024: 57 G, .268 AVG, 11 2B, 10 HR, 39 RBI, .484 SLG%, .376 OBP%)
- Sr. C Scott Mudler (2024: 47 G, .279 AVG, 6 2B, 4 HR, 31 RBI, .401 SLG%, .367 OBP%)
- So. INF/OF Jason Walk (2024: 42 G, .281 AVG, 4 2B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .414 SLG%, .376 OBP%)
- So. OF Dasan Harris (2024: 6 G, .167 AVG, 0 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .167 SLG%, .167 OBP%)
- Jr. RHP Kyson Witherspoon (2024: 17 APP, 11 GS, 8-3, 3.71 ERA, 80 IP, 90 K, 40 BB, .228 B/AVG)
- Gr. LHP Grant Stevens (2024: 18 APP, 9 GS, 6-1, 4.28 ERA, 54 2/3 IP, 54 K, 20 BB, .291 B/AVG)
- Sr. LHP James Hitt (2024: 17 APP, 7 GS, 2-4, 8.41 ERA, 35 1/3 IP, 32 K, 14 BB, .333 B/AVG)
- Sr. RHP Dylan Crooks (2024: 25 APP, 0 GS, 1-0, 4.11 ERA, 30 2/3 IP, 20 K, 3 BB, .256 B/AVG)
- Jr. RHP Malachi Witherspoon (2024: 21 APP, 0 GS, 2-2, 5.64 ERA, 22 1/3 IP, 29 K, 10 BB, .256 B/AVG)
- Sr. RHP Reid Hensley (2024: 17 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 3.21 ERA, 14 IP, 22 K, 10 BB, .170 B/AVG)
- So. RHP Jacob Gholston (2024: 2 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 108.00 ERA, 1/3 IP, 0 K, 4 BB, .000 B/AVG)
Departing Players:
- R-Sr. INF Michael Snyder (2024: 61 G, .354 AVG, 26 2B, 11 HR, 59 RBI, .638 SLG%, .465 OBP% – 10th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- R-Sr. INF Kendall Pettis (2024: 60 G, .276 AVG, 8 2B, 4 HR, 34 RBI, .398 SLG%, .398 OBP% – Graduated)
- Jr. INF Jackson Nicklaus (2024: 57 G, .303 AVG, 9 2B, 10 HR, 37 RBI, .533 SLG%, .429 OBP% – 17th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Sr. OF Bryce Madron (2024: 55 G, .318 AVG, 19 2B, 12 HR, 53 RBI, .607 SLG%, .439 OBP% – 10th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Sr. INF Anthony Mackenzie (2024: 54 G, .291 AVG, 10 2B, 7 HR, 44 RBI, .453 SLG%, .407 OBP% – Graduated)
- Jr. OF John Spikerman (2024: 42 G, .367 AVG, 12 2B, 3 HR, 32 RBI, .542 SLG%, .429 OBP% – 3rd Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Fr. INF Isaiah Lane (2024: 26 G, .321 AVG, 2 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .396 SLG%, .464 OBP% – Transfer Portal)
- So. UTIL Rocco Garza-Gongora (2024: 23 G, .224 AVG, 2 2B, 0 HR, 11 RBI, .259 SLG%, .338 OBP% – Transferred to Texas State)
- Jr. OF Carter Frederick (2024: 13 G, .343 AVG, 1 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .543 SLG%, .400 OBP% – 20th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- So. INF Patrick Engskov (2024: 8 G, .111 AVG, 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .111 SLG%, .273 OBP% – Transferred to Arkansas State)
- Jr. LHP Braden Davis (2024: 16 APP, 16 GS, 9-4, 4.30 ERA, 92 IP, 117 K, 41 BB, .208 B/AVG – 5th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Sr. LHP Carter Campbell (2024: 28 APP, 1 GS, 4-1, 5.64 ERA, 44 2/3 IP, 35 K, 20 BB, .263 B/AVG – Graduated)
- Sr. RHP Carson Atwood (2024: 26 APP, 4 GS, 1-2, 3.96 ERA, 36 1/3 IP, 30 K, 14 BB, .229 B/AVG – Graduated)
- R-Jr. RHP Brendan Girton (2024: 16 APP, 10 GS, 0-1, 7.32 ERA, 35 2/3 IP, 47 K, 31 BB, .297 B/AVG – 10th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Sr. RHP Jett Lodes (2024: 17 APP, 1 GS, 2-1, 4.80 ERA, 30 IP, 31 K, 17 BB, .200 B/AVG – Graduated)
- Jr. RHP Ryan Lambert (2024: 23 APP, 0 GS, 4-0, 2.57 ERA, 21 IP, 19 K, 12 BB, .184 B/AVG – 8th Round of 2024 MLB Draft)
- Sr. RHP Will Carsten (2024: 13 APP, 2 GS, 0-1, 8.66 ERA, 17 2/3 IP, 12 K, 12 BB, .347 B/AVG – Graduated)
- Jr. LHP Jace Miner (2024: 13 APP, 0 GS, 1-1, 4.50 ERA, 10 IP, 12 K, 7 BB, .289 B/AVG – Transferred to Wichita State)
- Fr. RHP Brad Pruett (2024: 10 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 7.71 ERA, 7 IP, 9 K, 4 BB, .300 B/AVG – Transferred to East Carolina)
- R-Jr. RHP Jason Bollman (2024: 3 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 4.80 ERA, 1 2/3 IP, 4 K, 5 BB, .375 B/AVG)
- Jr. RHP Myles Meyer (2024: 1 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1/3 IP, 1 K, 2 BB, .500 B/AVG – Transfer Portal)
Incoming Transfers:
- Jr. INF/OF Brayden Horton (2024: 48 G, .265 AVG, 6 2B, 11 HR, 39 RBI, .506 SLG%, .397 OBP% – Transferred from Liberty)
- So. LHP Cam Johnson (2024: 13 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 12.00 ERA, 9 IP, 13 K, 16 BB, .167 B/AVG – Transferred from LSU)
- So. RHP Jason Bodin (2024: 2 APP, 0 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 3 BB, .200 B/AVG – Transferred from Texas A&M)
Oklahoma had eight players selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, including five offensive players and three pitchers. Coach Skip Johnson’s team however returns major contributors from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, including 2024 Third Team All-American junior catcher Easton Carmichael, 2024 Perfect Game Midseason All-American junior right-handed pitcher Kyson Witherspoon, and 2024 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention sophomore shortstop Jaxon Willitts.
Kyson’s brother, junior right-handed pitcher Malachi Witherspoon, returns as well. The Witherspoon’s totaled 38 appearances, 11 starts, 102 /13 innings, and a 4.14 ERA last season.
The Sooners will rely heavily on returning players and incoming freshman, as they brought in just three players from the Transfer Portal. Junior outfielder Brayden Horton, who a Third Team All-ASUN selection in 2023, could be a great addition in Norman. He’ll look to bounce back this season however, as his batting average dropped 76 points from 2023 to 2024.
Oklahoma is scheduled to face five SEC teams present in D1Baseball’s Preseason Top 25 Rankings this season (No. 3 LSU, at No. 8 Georgia, No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 18 Mississippi State, No. 19 Texas). Four of these five series will be played at Oklahoma’s L. Dale Mitchell Park.
Kentucky, which has never faced Oklahoma before, will host the Sooners at Kentucky Proud Park on the weekend of May 9-11. Along with Oklahoma, the Cats will also host newcomer Texas the weekend of April 11-13.
NORMAN — After an up-and down week that saw Oklahoma drop the lone Bedlam match of the season, and then split two tight games with Arkansas before blowing out the Razorbacks on Sunday, the Sooners remained No. 1 in the NFCA/Go Rout coaches’ poll released Tuesday.
But there’s far from a consensus.
Oklahoma received 12 first-place votes — the same total they had last week — but five other teams received first-place votes.
Texas Tech remained No. 2 with four four-place votes and Alabama No. 3 with seven. Nebraska moved up two spots to No. 4 with four first-place votes, followed by Florida with two and UCLA with two.
Texas is No. 7, followed by Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida State.
Texas A&M, the Sooners’ opponent for the final regular-season weekend in two weeks, comes in at No. 11.
Other SEC teams include Georgia at No. 15, Mississippi State at No. 17 and LSU at No. 20.
OU hosts the Georgia Bulldogs in a three-game series beginning Friday.
Other Sooners’ opponents this season in the polls include No. 14 Duke, No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 19 Arizona, No. 24 Arizona State and No. 25 Washington.
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Oklahoma also remained in the top spot in the D1Softball poll, with Alabama No. 2 there followed by Texas Tech, Nebraska at Texas.
The Sooners dropped a spot in the Softball America poll, with Nebraska elevating to No. 1 behind the two-way stardom of former OU standout Jordy Frahm (formerly Jordy Bahl).
Frahm is 13-4 with a 1.36 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings in the circle and hitting .440 with 16 home runs and 42 RBIs. Another former Sooners player, Hannah Coor, is among the Cornhuskers’ regulars as well.
The Sooners have 158 home runs, just three away from tying their own season record in the category, but UCLA has closed the gap in a major way, sitting just four behind Oklahoma.
OU freshman sensation Kendall Wells leads the nation with 34 home runs, three ahead of UCLA’s Megan Grant. Wells tied Jocelyn Alo‘s program record for home runs in a season with her home run in Sunday’s win.
The Sooners host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 6 p.m. Tuesday in their final non-conference game of the season before opening the series against Georgia at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Love’s FIeld.
Follow
Putnam City West High School will shift to virtual learning on Tuesday after an incident involving two students prompted an investigation by the district and Oklahoma City police, according to Putnam City Schools.
District officials said administrators were alerted near the end of the school day Monday to an altercation involving two students in the school’s arena area.
Officials said the students left campus, and the case was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for investigation.
District officials said no students or staff were harmed and there is no ongoing safety threat related to the incident.
What we know
Putnam City West sent the following email to all families and staff at the school:
All PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st.
Today, an isolated serious incident involving two students occurred on school grounds. Near the end of the school day, administrators were alerted to an altercation between two students in the arena area. The individuals involved quickly left campus, prompting an initial fact-finding response by school administrators before the matter was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for further investigation. Because this is an active investigation involving students, no further information will be released at this time.
We understand this information may be concerning to students, staff, and families. Please know we are committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for all students. At Putnam City Schools, student and staff safety remains our highest priority. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and to allow for a thorough investigation, all PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st. Students will need to check Google Classroom for updates from teachers.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support of PC West.
Putnam City Schools
All students and staff at Putnam City West will transition to virtual learning on Tuesday, April 21, while investigators continue their work, according to the district.
Students were told to check Google Classroom for instructions from teachers.
The district said it is withholding additional details because the case involves students and remains under investigation.
School officials have not said what triggered the incident or whether any arrests have been made.
This is a developing story. Updates will be added as more information becomes available.
TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — A new program in Oklahoma is giving adults another way to finish high school by allowing them to use past credits and test scores to earn a diploma, an option officials say could help thousands of people and strengthen the state’s workforce.
For years, adults in Oklahoma who did not finish high school largely had one main option: earning a GED. Now, Oklahoma CareerTech is rolling out the Career Readiness Diploma, a pathway designed to build on what students have already completed rather than requiring them to start over.
“So in Oklahoma right now, if you look at the demographics, we have about 279,000 people in our state without a high school diploma. So it’s almost 10% of our population doesn’t have a high school diploma,” said Lance Allee, an adult education and family literacy specialist with Oklahoma CareerTech.
Allee said the program allows adults to apply previously earned high school credit and combine different assessment scores into a single record to qualify for a diploma.
“It allows the student to use previously earned high school credit. So, it’s kind of like a portfolio where you can take multiple assessment scores and put them into one portfolio to get your high school diploma,” Allee said.
The program is open to adults 21 and older. In some cases, officials said, participants can finish in just weeks, depending on how many credits they already have.
CareerTech officials say the program is also aimed at improving job prospects for individuals while helping Oklahoma remain competitive when attracting employers.
“When you’re a company and you’re looking at moving into Oklahoma, you look at the demographics and say, is there a workforce there that we can employ? And you say, well, about 10% of the population doesn’t have a diploma, they may start looking at states that surround us. So, we definitely want to get as many diplomas out there as we can,” Allee said.
The program started issuing diplomas in recent weeks, and officials said dozens more people are already in the process. For more information or to sign up click here.
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