Sooners Salvage Win Against KSU Behind Carpenter's Big Day

Oklahoma's youth grew large on the final day of the regular season, tuning the Sooners to a high note entering the Big 12 Championship with a much needed win Sunday.

Freshmen Kolbey Carpenter and Anthony Hermelyn combined for four RBIs as Oklahoma defeated Kansas State 7-3 at Tointon Family Stadium to squash a three-game losing streak.

Oklahoma (36-19, 13-11 Big 12) earned the No. 4 seed for the conference tournament and will face 5-seed Baylor Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the opening game at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

Trailing 1-0 in the second, Carpenter snuck a line drive into the left field corner, scoring Hector Lorenzana and Matt Oberste, who were issued back-to-back walks by Kansas State senior righthander Jake Doller (2-3).

Doller was replaced by southpaw Jared Moore, but OU designated hitter Colt Bickerstaff singled to left center to plate Carpenter and put the Sooners up 3-1.

Carpenter added a solo home run, his second of the season, in the fourth to extended the Sooners' lead.

Oklahoma added three runs in the eighth after Craig Aikin, Jack Mayfield and Max White loaded the bases with three straight singles. Hermelyn hit a fly ball into right center, too shallow for outfielder Mitch Meyer to grab, and Aikin scored.

Lorenzana and Matt Oberste added two runs, moving Mayfield and White home with sacrifice flies.

Jake Fisher (2-2) pitched into the eighth inning before putting two aboard. Fisher struck out seven and allowed nine hits, but the Sooners' defense kept the Wildcats' firepower to a minimum.

Third baseman R.J. Santigate hit into right center and KSU waved two baserunners home, but Taylor Alspaugh, making his first start, sped to catch the hit on the hop and flipped to Lorenzana, who threw to Hermelyn, to put out Davis, the trailing runner, sliding into home.