ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jaxon Willits hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning, Scott Mudler went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and No. 1 seed Oklahoma survived its seven errors to beat Kansas 7-5 Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament.
Oklahoma (36-18) plays Friday against the winner between the seventh-seeded Jayhawks and No. 9 seed TCU earlier in the day.
Kendall Pettis doubled down the line in left to lead off the bottom of the fourth and then scored on a single by Mudler to cut Oklahoma’s deficit to a run. After back-to-back strikeouts, Willits hit a deep shot to right field that made it 5-4 and the Sooners led the rest of the way.
Lenny Ashby went 2 for 3 with two doubles for Kansas (30-22).
John Spikerman singled to lead off the bottom of the first, advanced to second on an error and moved to third on a groundout by Willits before he scored on a sacrifice fly by Easton Carmichael to give Oklahoma a 1-0 lead.
Ashby doubled to lead off the second — Kansas’ only hit of the inning — and the Jayhawks capitalized on two walks and three Oklahoma errors to take a 3-1 lead. An RBI single by Mudler in the bottom half made in a one-run game before Collier Cranford, who reached base on an error, scored on a two-out single by Mike Koszewski in the third.
Carmichael led off the bottom of the seven with a triple, Michael Snyder followed with RBI single and then stole second before scoring on a triple by Jackson Nicklaus that gave the Sooners a 7-4 lead.
Jake English reached on an error to lead off the top of the ninth, Ashby followed with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cranford to cap the scoring.
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