OU baseball: Dayton Tockey's blast sends Sooners to Super Regional for first time since 2022

OU is headed back to a Super Regional after its second dramatic comeback in as many days over No. 2 overall seed Georgia Tech. Dayton Tockey’s 10th inning blast the difference Monday in a 8-7 winner-take-all Game 7 at the Atlanta Regional. 

There’s moments throughout a season that get remembered and this one will certainly have a place in Oklahoma baseball lore. Down 7-3 heading into the seventh, Oklahoma rallied for two after the stretch and a single tally in the final three frames to send Skip Johnson’s Sooners to the Lawrence Supers at Kansas. More on that later. 

For Tockey? It’s a story of redemption. In and out of the lineup – mostly out– throughout a majority of his senior season, it was Tockey that found himself doubled up after Jason Walk lined into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. It was Tockey’s throwing error that opened the door for a three-run sixth for Georgia Tech that seemed to be one of those final nail in the coffin scenarios. 

Not this time. Not on Tockey’s watch. He had the last laugh as the Sooners delivered another stunner to this season’s NCAA Tournament, where quite literally anything can happen with the top two seeds now joining the ranks of eliminated.

 SOONERS KEPT WITHIN PUNCHING DISTANCE DESPITE PATEL

It didn’t take long for Oklahoma to jump ahead on Monday. Deiten LaChance lifted a first inning two-run home run over the scoreboard in left field and for a second it appeared as if the Sooners were off to the races. A few batters later, Dasan Harris delivered his first of three hits on the night and Oklahoma led 3-0 after one. 

Then Georgia Tech reliever Mason Patel entered on the scene. The only real threat Oklahoma was able to sustain off the All-ACC hurler were a pair of two-out walks in the fourth and Dasan Harris reaching third in the sixth.

Then the wheels started turning in the seventh. 

Kyle Branch laced a double over the centerfielder’s head. Jason Walk followed with a single and Camden Johnson drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Jaxon Willits’ double – first of two clutch swings in the late innings – scored Johnson from first. A 7-3 deficit had been cut in half at 7-5. 

After Jackson Cleveland – a large story on the back end for Oklahoma – put the Wrambling Wreck down in order in the eighth, it was was once again Dasan Harris sparking the Sooners. Following a Dayton Tockey single that moved Harris to third, Kyle Branch bounced a ball back to Patel that he fumbled allowing Harris to score. 7-6. Hey, this was doable. 

Camden Johnson opened the ninth with a free pass and advanced into scoring position following a Deiten LaChance ground out. Setting the table for Jaxon Willits, who laced a game-tying single into right field and setting the stage for Tockey’s 10th inning heroics. 

SOONERS PITCHING STAFF HELD JACKETS IN CHECK

Perhaps it was after Oklahoma starter Michael Catalano induced the first of Oklahoma’s three turned double plays to escape a Georgia Tech scoring threat in the game’s opening frame. 

Or some three hours later when Jaxon Willits toe-tapped the second base bag to eliminate a leadoff walk in the eighth. 

Oklahoma’s stable of arms did just enough to hold Georgia Tech’s explosive offense at bay. Catalano gave Skip Johnson three innings, allowing just two runs before giving way to Jason Bodin who inherited a 3-2 lead. 

Following Parker Brosius and Caleb Daniel’s back-to-back home runs in the fifth to give Tech a 4-3 lead, Oklahoma turned to seldom used freshman Brisco Smith. Some kind of way to make just his second appearance of the season. Smith allowed one earned run on four hits, with the Jackets scoring three in the sixth with help from Dayton Tockey’s throwing error. 

And that led to Jackson Cleveland who was superb, not allowing a hit over the final 3.2 innings. Giving Oklahoma the opportunity to rally from behind and ultimately sending his team into next week. 

NEXT UP

Oklahoma heads to its first Super Regional since 2022 and will take on former Big 12 neighbor Kansas at Hoglund Ballpark. Start time and date will be announced on Tuesday morning.