Missouri baseball dropped the series opener of its weekend three-game series against No. 14-ranked Oklahoma on Friday evening. Despite the multitude of homers, including a pair from first basemen Jase Woita and one from Blaize Ward, strong fourth and seventh inning offensive splurges from the Sooners drove them to a 9-6 winner over the Tigers at Kimrey Family Stadium.
Oklahoma did its damage against McDevitt early on in the bottom half of the second inning. After Cade Johnson’s double opened the inning,
Drew LaChance singled him home, which opened the first crack in the door for the Sooners.
Thus followed the classic chain reaction as seen in films: a walk, a fielder’s choice, and then Missouri’s only error of the night, which extended the inning long enough for Oklahoma to pile on. Dasan Harris drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, Jason Walk added an RBI single, and Willits followed with another. Three of the four runs were unearned, but they counted all the same.
Missouri’s response offensively came from who’s been their highest source of power, Jase Woita. Woita launched a 0-1 pitch, which was a no-doubter over the right field fence, a solo shot that cut the lead down to three. Oklahoma answered with a solo home run of its own by Harris, once again, matching the firepower of Mizzou’s with its own.
The offensive bats of the Tigers, unlike against South Carolina, continued to be mute for the remainder of the evening. The fifth inning started innocently enough, with a hit by pitch, leading to Keegan Knutson getting on base. Blaize Ward turned a mountain out of a mole hill, hitting his first career homer as a Tiger. Not been a bad season for Ward, who’s coming off of a Co-SEC Freshman player of the week award earlier this month.
But Oklahoma’s seventh inning played out like a montage of punches the protagonist can’t dodge. Harris tripled to right, Walk homered to left, Gambill added another homer to right, and after a pitching change, Johnson hit the third home run of the inning. Four runs, four big swings, and suddenly the Sooners led 9–3.
Missouri still had chances. In the eighth, the Tigers loaded the bases on a walk to Woita, a double from Peer, and a hit‑by‑pitch to Serna. Oklahoma reliever Kaden Leon escaped the inning with a strikeout and a groundout, leaving Missouri empty‑handed and out of another chance to rally back.
The Tigers made one last push in the ninth. Knutson doubled to left and scored on a single from Kam Durnin. After a strikeout, Woita came up again and delivered his second home run of the night, a two‑run shot to center that traveled well beyond the wall. It was the closest thing Missouri had to a “final‑act twist,” pulling the Tigers within 9–6. Ultimately, Oklahoma closed it out on the next batter.
Woita’s double-digit hit streak ended earlier in the season, which hasn’t in any way stopped his consistent offensive production. Woita finished the evening 3-for-4, with two home runs, three RBI, and a walk. Ward added two hits and two RBI, including two runs scored.
The pitching for Missouri held up consistently against the Gamecocks; this wasn’t one of those nights. Oklahoma matched Missouri with 11 hits of its own. Harris went 2‑for‑5 with a homer, triple, and two RBI. Walk finished 2‑for‑5 with a home run and three RBI, and Johnson went 2‑for‑3 with a homer, double, and two runs scored. The Sooners also stole four bases, including two by Johnson.
Missouri starter Josh McDevitt threw 6.2 innings and a career‑high 106 pitches, allowing eight runs, five earned, with seven strikeouts. Dane Bjorn handled the final 1.1 innings, giving up one run.
Missouri will look to bounce back Saturday at 4 p.m. CT, where the Tigers will look for a different script — for them, preferably one without a second‑inning plot twist.
