The Oklahoma Sooners stormed into Athens with little national attention and zero top-25 rankings to their name. By the time they walked off the field, the buzz surrounding their baseball program was impossible to ignore. The Sooners stunned the college baseball world with a 6-2 upset victory over No. 10 Georgia, powered by a brilliant pitching performance from sophomore right-hander Kyson Witherspoon, who continues to evolve into one of the most reliable arms in the country.
Witherspoon wasn’t just good—he was dominant, calm under pressure, and razor-sharp against one of the best lineups in the Southeastern Conference. The Bulldogs entered the matchup averaging over 7.5 runs per game and boasting a top-10 national ranking thanks to their offensive depth, but they found no rhythm against the poised Oklahoma ace. Witherspoon tossed seven innings of two-run ball, scattering five hits while striking out eight and walking just one.
In a hostile environment at Foley Field, Witherspoon looked more like a veteran Friday night starter in the SEC than a Big 12 underclassman, expertly painting corners and staying one step ahead of Georgia hitters. Whether it was his breaking ball keeping hitters guessing or his fastball placement on both sides of the plate, the Bulldogs never looked comfortable in the box. Even after giving up a solo home run in the fifth, Witherspoon remained unfazed and quickly recovered to retire the next three batters in order, a sequence that drew a standing ovation from the small but vocal contingent of Sooners fans who made the trip.
“He’s our rock,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson after the game. “He doesn’t get rattled, he doesn’t try to do too much. He just trusts his stuff and executes the plan. That’s a big-league mound presence right there.”
Witherspoon’s performance wasn’t just impressive—it was timely. The Sooners entered the game looking to rebound after a stretch of inconsistent play, with the bullpen overworked and the offense needing a spark. Oklahoma’s early-season form had been promising, but losses in close games and missed opportunities against ranked opponents had raised questions about their postseason potential. A road win over a top-10 opponent now reshapes that conversation entirely, giving the Sooners a résumé-defining victory and a surge of confidence heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
From the first pitch, Oklahoma looked like the more energetic and locked-in squad. The Sooners struck first in the top of the second when sophomore outfielder Bryce Madron ripped a two-run double down the right field line, plating Jackson Nicklaus and Kendall Pettis. Georgia starter Charlie Goldstein, who had been solid all season, never quite found his footing. He lasted just 3.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits and two walks. A throwing error by Georgia’s third baseman in the third inning extended the frame and set the table for a two-run single by Easton Carmichael that gave the Sooners a 4-0 lead.
Georgia’s high-powered offense finally responded in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back extra-base hits from Charlie Condon and Corey Collins. Condon, one of the SEC’s most feared hitters, blasted a towering solo shot to left-center—his 18th of the season. Collins followed with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly, trimming the deficit to 4-2. But that would be all the Bulldogs could muster. Witherspoon worked around a two-out single in the sixth and struck out the side in the seventh, his fastball still hitting 93 mph late into his outing.
Oklahoma’s bullpen took it from there. In the eighth, freshman righty Braden Davis came on in relief and pitched a clean inning, retiring Georgia’s 3-4-5 hitters in order with two groundouts and a strikeout. The Sooners then added two key insurance runs in the top of the ninth. A leadoff walk to Pettis and a single by Nicklaus set the stage for Carmichael again, who laced a hard grounder through the middle to bring in another run. A sacrifice fly by Madron added one more, giving Oklahoma a commanding 6-2 advantage.
Johnson turned to closer Aaron Calhoun to finish the job, and the senior left-hander delivered with his usual poise. After issuing a leadoff walk, Calhoun induced a 6-4-3 double play and then froze Georgia’s final batter on a perfectly placed breaking ball on the outside corner, sealing the win and setting off a celebration in the Oklahoma dugout.
“It was a complete team win,” Witherspoon said after the game. “Everyone did their job. The offense came out swinging, the defense made plays, and the bullpen shut the door. That’s what we’re capable of.”
The Sooners’ dugout buzzed with renewed energy throughout the contest, a stark contrast to the Bulldogs, who looked tense and tentative after falling behind early. Georgia’s head coach Scott Stricklin acknowledged his team’s flat start and credited Oklahoma’s execution.
“They played better than we did tonight, plain and simple,” Stricklin said. “We didn’t capitalize when we had runners on base, and we didn’t pitch well enough to keep it close. That’s a good baseball team over there. They came in hungry.”
Indeed, Oklahoma looked hungry. The Sooners played with a sense of urgency and belief that had been missing in recent weeks. Carmichael, who finished the night 3-for-4 with three RBIs, was the offensive catalyst. Nicklaus and Pettis combined for four runs scored, and Madron added two key RBIs. On defense, Oklahoma committed no errors and turned two crucial double plays, including one in the sixth that erased a leadoff single and shifted the momentum back in their favor.
Witherspoon’s outing continues what has been a breakout season for the sophomore, who now owns a 2.47 ERA and a 6-1 record through 10 starts. Scouts have begun to take notice, with several MLB evaluators in attendance noting his command, mound presence, and maturity beyond his years. While he may not have the radar gun-popping velocity of some of his counterparts in the SEC, his ability to mix speeds and command the strike zone make him a legitimate draft prospect.
“Kyson’s a bulldog,” said Carmichael. “We feel like we’re going to win every time he’s on the mound. He sets the tone for us.”
This win could be a turning point for Oklahoma. With a series against another top-25 opponent looming, the Sooners have a chance to build momentum and climb the Big 12 standings. More importantly, they’ve now proven they can go on the road and beat elite teams. It’s the type of win that sticks in the minds of NCAA Tournament committee members and could be the difference between being a two-seed or a three-seed come June.
For Georgia, the loss is a reminder that no game can be taken for granted, especially in the gauntlet of the college baseball season. The Bulldogs are still one of the most talented teams in the country, and they’ll have opportunities to rebound. But the margin for error is shrinking as the postseason nears, and a home loss to an unranked Oklahoma squad won’t go unnoticed in the rankings.
Meanwhile, the Sooners head home with confidence and credibility. Kyson Witherspoon continues to establish himself as a national name, and Oklahoma continues to remind the rest of the college baseball world that rankings aren’t the only measure of a team’s potential.
