Sooners Pitching Continues to Carry the Load

By Jake Mastroianni

The Oklahoma Sooners remain unbeaten after a weekend sweep at home over CSUN in which the pitching staff allowed a total of just 4 runs in the three-game set. 

Coming into 2025, everyone knew the Sooners' success would be dependent on dominant pitching, and that group has delivered by giving them their best start to a season since 2011. 

On the year, the pitching staff has a 2.41 ERA (4th in SEC) and 1.14 WHIP with 112 strikeouts and 42 walks in 97 innings pitched. They’ve allowed just 2 home runs (tied for fewest in SEC), and opponents are hitting just .197 against them (6th in SEC). 

Oklahoma remains just one of three SEC teams unbeaten through the season's first three weekends, along with Alabama and Tennessee. That includes wins over two top-10 teams in Virginia and Oregon State. 

The Sooners look ready to take on the challenge of the SEC, but it is obvious they’ll go as far as the pitching staff takes them. 

The 3-headed monster

Speaking of that pitching staff, it’s led by Kyson Witherspoon, who has been completely dominant to begin the year, allowing just 3 earned runs on 10 hits and 3 walks over 18 innings with 28 strikeouts. 

On Friday night against CSUN, it took him a little while to get in a groove. He was struggling with fastball command, but he pivoted to that big breaking ball and started racking up the strikeouts, with 5 of his 7 strikeouts coming in innings four through six. 

His brother, Malachi, also didn’t look as sharp on Saturday, dealing with a lot of traffic early on, including a bases-loaded jam in the fourth that he was able to escape. His only clean inning came in the fifth. 

Despite all of that, he allowed just 1 unearned run over 5 innings with 4 strikeouts. 

And then on Sunday, top transfer Cam Johnson was solid, allowing just 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts. The free passes have been an issue for Johnson in the past, and that has continued this year with 10 walks in 13.1 innings. But the talent is certainly there. 

It’s not just the starters

While the big three in the rotation get most of the love, Oklahoma has some impressive arms coming out of the bullpen as well. 

On the weekend against CSUN, they allowed just 1 earned run over 10.2 innings. 

James Hitt looked really good pitching on both Friday and Saturday, tossing a combined 2 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 walk with 3 strikeouts. It’s a very tough slider from the left side. 

Dylan Crooks and Michael Catalano are two other arms who have looked really good early on. 

Easton Carmichael is the real deal

The player who impressed me the most over the weekend was catcher Easton Carmichael. He was scuffling coming into the series with just 1 hit over a five-game stretch before picking up 2 hits on Friday, including a double and a triple. 

He finished the weekend going 4-10 with 3 runs scored, 3 RBI, 2 walks, and a stolen base. 

What was so impressive was his demeanor behind the dish, which he uses to help settle this talented pitching staff in tense moments, and his athleticism. 

It’s hard to look at Carmichael and not draw comparisons to J.T. Realmuto. Those are lofty expectations, but the arm strength (he also threw out a couple of base runners on the weekend), the power to all fields, and his work behind the plate are easy to see. 

Weekend results

Fri. 9-0, W. 

• Ky Witherspoon - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 7 Ks, 1 W

• Carmichael - 2-3, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB

Sat. 10-2, W. 

• Ma. Witherspoon - 5 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 4 Ks, 1 W

• Dayton Tockey - 4-4, 1 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI. 

Sun. 3-2, W. 

• Johnson - 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 ER, 4 Ks

• Dawson Willis - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI. 

What’s next

Tue, March 4 at Dallas Baptist

Fri, March 7 vs. Sam Houston

Sat, March 8 vs. Sam Houston

Sun, March 9 vs. Sam Houston