ARLINGTON, Texas — Oklahoma defeated Texas, 8-1, to win the Sooners’ third Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball 2022 Championship title in program history, its first since 2013, in front of 10,308 fans at Globe Life Field, the second-most ever at a Big 12 Championship Final.
Oklahoma improves to 3-1 in the Big 12 Championship Final (1997, 2013, 2022).
The Longhorns started the game strong when Ivan Melendez hit a 407-foot home run over the right-center wall to put Texas on the board in the first inning. The home run marked the 29th of the season for Melendez, the most in a single season by a player from Texas.
The Sooners battled back in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead. After securing baserunners from walks, Kendall Pettis singled to left field allowing the Sooners to get Jackson Nicklaus across the plate and OU on the scoreboard. With runners on first and third, a balk from Travis Sthele (L, 3-1) gave the Sooners another run advancing Kendall Pettis home and Brett Squires to second.
Texas brought in Aaron Nixon from the bullpen. John Spikerman hit a double into right field to score Pettis. Peyton Graham, the Most Outstanding Player from the Championship, singled and Blake Robertson reached by a walk to bring the bases loaded for the Sooners. Tanner Tredaway stepped up to the plate and singled into left field bringing in two more runs to extend the lead to 5-1.
Tristan Stevens was brought into the game to face Jimmy Crooks. The OU catcher hit the first pitch over the right-field wall bringing the score to its final mark of 8-1.
Cade Horton (W, 3-2) gave the Sooners a career-high of 5.1 innings of work. Horton gave up one run on two hits and had a career-high nine strikeouts. He was relieved by Chazz Martinez who pitched for 2.2 innings giving up no hits and fanning five. Trevin Michael closed the game for OU in the ninth, allowing two hits and striking out two.
READ: How to watch the Big 12 Baseball Tournament 2022 Championship game?
2022 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team
C – Jimmy Crooks, Oklahoma
1B – David Mendham, Oklahoma State
2B – Roc Riggio, Oklahoma State
3B – Skyler Messinger, Texas
SS – Peyton Graham, Oklahoma
OF – Tanner Tredaway, Oklahoma
OF – Caeden Trenkle, Oklahoma State
OF – Douglas Hodo III, Texas
DH – Griffin Doersching, Oklahoma State
SP – Pete Hansen, Texas
SP – Jake Bennett, Oklahoma
RP – Dylan Phillips, Kansas State
Most Outstanding Player – Peyton Graham, Oklahoma
