PROVO, UT — Oklahoma baseball completed the three-game sweep of BYU Saturday in Provo with a 10-7 win to push its win streak to seven straight.
The Sooners have swept four conference series for the first time since the Big 12’s inception in 1996 and sit alone at the top of the Big 12 standings with a 14-4 record in conference play.
Senior Bryce Madron powered the charge with a career day, hitting two home runs and a double, batting in a career-best seven runs. It was the most RBI for a Sooner since Cale Ellis had seven vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2010.
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The Sooners scored early and often, starting with three runs on four hits at the top of the first. A leadoff double from freshman Jason Walk set up Madron for his first home run of the day on a two-run shot to right center. Redshirt senior Michael Snyder then doubled and fellow senior Anthony Mackenzie doubled him home with a knock to left to make it 3-0 before the Cougars had their first at-bat.
BYU would plate a pair in the home half of the first on a double to right field. OU would get both runs back at the top of the second, courtesy Madron again. The senior outfielder sent his second two-run home run over the right center wall for his second blast in as many at-bats. It marked the first back-to-back homer game of his career.
The Cougars would tie the contest at five at the bottom of the second on a run-scoring double and pair of RBI singles. OU starting LHP Grant Stevens would strand a pair with a popup to reduce the damage.
Oklahoma pushed one across in the fourth via a HBP drawn by Snyder before putting up another crooked number in the fifth, scoring three runs on a Madron bases-clearing double.
Single runs would be scored in the bottom of the fifth and ninth by the Cougars and the Sooners pushed one across on a wild pitch in the eighth to bring the final score to 10-7.
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The Sooners used six arms in the victory with senior Jett Lodes getting his first win of the season and second of his career in relief, striking out a pair in two scoreless innings while surrendering just one hit. Starting pitcher Stevens went two innings, allowing five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Relievers James Hitt, Carson Atwood, Jace Miner and Malachi Witherspoon all combined to finish the game with Hitt fanning three and Atwood striking out one.
At the plate, Madron’s 3-for-4 day led OU while Snyder and freshman Isaiah Lane also registered multi-hit games.
The Sooners return to L. Dale Mitchell Park for a four-game homestand starting Tuesday vs. Wichita State. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
Central Arkansas Bears (3-8) at Oklahoma Sooners (11-0)
Norman, Oklahoma; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -28.5; over/under is 145.5
BOTTOM LINE: No. 14 Oklahoma hosts Central Arkansas after Jeremiah Fears scored 30 points in Oklahoma’s 87-86 victory over the Michigan Wolverines.
The Sooners have gone 6-0 at home. Oklahoma has a 2-0 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Bears are 0-6 on the road. Central Arkansas ranks fourth in the ASUN with 23.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Brayden Fagbemi averaging 4.6.
Oklahoma averages 82.0 points, 5.2 more per game than the 76.8 Central Arkansas allows. Central Arkansas averages 9.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Oklahoma allows.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Fears is scoring 17.9 points per game with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Sooners.
Layne Taylor is scoring 17.0 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Bears.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sooners: 10-0, averaging 80.9 points, 29.3 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 10.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.5 points per game.
Bears: 3-7, averaging 73.0 points, 34.3 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 38.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a commercial fire near the area of NW 10th and N Western Avenue.
OKCFD were at the scene of a commercial fire around 7 p.m. Saturday night, when they arrived there was heavy smoke visible from multiple floors of a boarded up building.
One adult female was found in the building and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
At this time no cause has been reported.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
NORMAN — Bowl season is a bit unconventional for Navy.
The Midshipmen annually play against Army six days after the bowl schedule is released. That was the case this year, as Navy beat the Black Knights 31-13 on Dec. 14.
Beating Army is always a highlight for the Midshipmen. But the drawback for them is that they have less time than their bowl opponent to prepare for the game.
In this case, that’s Oklahoma. The Sooners will enter the game with more than two weeks of preparation for Navy’s triple-option offense.
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“It’s just a little different,” Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters earlier this week. “They’ve known they’re going to play us for a little time now.”
Navy Coach, Oklahoma Native Brian Newberry Grew Up On OU Football
Navy does, however, enter the Armed Forces Bowl with momentum.
The Midshipmen (9-3) eased past Army last week in Landover, MD. They outgained the Black Knights 384-179 and forced Army quarterback Bryson Daily to throw three interceptions.
Navy’s rivalry win was its third in the last four games after the Midshipmen went on a two-game skid in the middle of the season. Newberry cited his team’s physicality in recent games, particularly in the Midshipmen’s drubbing of Army.
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“I was so impressed with how our kids handled the moment,” Newberry said. “Army’s a really, really good football team. I thought we physically dominated the game in the way that we blocked, beat blocks, the way we tackled. I thought we outplayed them in all three phases, so I’m really, really proud of that.”
A stark difference between the teams is the number of players that have entered the transfer portal.
The Sooners have seen 25 players from their 2024 team enter the portal. The Midshipmen have suffered only one departure in the winter portal window with defensive back Lorenzo Vitti.
On one hand, that makes Oklahoma preparation tough for Navy.
“It’s interesting,” Newberry said. “We’re going through their two-deep and trying to figure out who’s going to play and who isn’t. It’s a little bit of a challenge in that regard. And it could certainly change with a different quarterback.”
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But largely, the Midshipmen’s lack of transfers gives Newberry confidence that his team will be bought in for one more game in 2024.
“The portal can affect us, players can jump in the portal — we’re not getting that,” Newberry said. “It’s challenging to build a culture anywhere in college football right now, one that’s built on a certain level of trust. They know each other really, really well. They’ve fought through adversity. They stay the course, they pay the price and they have an opportunity.”
Navy will also play for more than just another win; the Midshipmen are looking to make history.
Navy has reached the 10-win mark just four times in program history. The Midshipmen did so three times under former coach Ken Niumatalolo from 2009-2019.
Having a shot at history while playing Oklahoma — the state that Newberry hails from — excites the coach.
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“It’s the last time that this team gets to play together,” Newberry said. “They want to go out the right way against a storied program like Oklahoma. It’s a great reward to play in a bowl game, but it’s a game we want to win.”
The Midshipmen and Sooners will play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth at 11 a.m. on Dec. 27.
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