SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

May 20, 2025

Skip Johnson

James Hitt

Jason Walk

Hoover Metropolitan Stadium

Oklahoma Sooners

Postgame Press Conference

Oklahoma 5, Kentucky 1

SKIP JOHNSON: It was a great win for us today. I thought Jaden started out pounding the strike zone and getting a big double play in the first inning, gave us some momentum. We had really quality at-bats throughout the game. Played really extremely high-level defense when we had to play. I think we turned three double plays in that game to take the momentum out of their dugout and keep it in our dugout with lead-off hitters getting on, which was huge.

Jamie was just outstanding. Getting a big hit from Walk got us going a little bit, gave us that momentum, and then we separated the game as we went through it. Easton gets a big hit to make it 3-1 and then hits a big double. We had a situational hit. I thought the quality of at-bats today was at a high level, not chasing pitches when they've been chasing them and playing really great defense, and really proud of our team and how they went about it and finished nine innings and took it one pitch at a time, which was even better to see.

Q. How was your first game playing in Hoover Met, and what did you like about it compared to other conference tournaments?

JASON WALK: I played in this stadium in high school, so it wasn't that new, and especially me being from the East Coast. But it was a good atmosphere and a good time out there with the guys.

JAMES HITT: Yeah, I played here in high school. I liked it. I mean, great atmosphere, great mound, great field.

Q. What was working for you today and just filling in the game with Jaden Barfield of how he went the front four and how do you feel about your mechanics and you and Easton working?

JAMES HITT: I really just went out there trying to execute pitches, one pitch at a time. Everything was kind of working for me. I had every one of my pitches, which was awesome, and I was just hitting my spots and getting outs.

Q. Jason, it feels like as an offense, you guys have completely bought into the identity of what it is to increase runs and win ballgames. What is that identity, and what's it like playing with this group of guys?

JASON WALK: We preach chaos. So doing whatever we can to score a run, even if we're not hitting or whatever the case may be. This is a special group. Coming into the SEC, a lot of new guys, a lot of JuCo guys, so it's good getting out here in front of new fields, new teams and competing to our best ability.

Q. Jason, what pitch did you sequence from that third inning going to the right center field wall?

JASON WALK: Honestly, I was just trying to get there and compete. We also preach QUABs, so seeing as much pitches as I can and putting the barrel on the ball. I think he left a fastball there. Got to be able to hit a fastball to get to the next level.

Q. Who's got the best chain game between the two of you?

JASON WALK: I'm going to give it to James. It's subtle. He's a quiet guy, so when he pops a chain, that's how you know he's on.

Q. First time here in the SEC tournament, that's a statement win for your group against a really pesky ball club. How important was it to come out and scratch first and get out early?

SKIP JOHNSON: I think it was huge. Trying to get the momentum early as you can, I thought it was big that J Walk hit a home run in that to get us some momentum, and I think the defense gave us some momentum. It's hard -- everybody talks about momentum, and they talk about -- when you're playing in this league, and what's awesome about this league is, it's like a super regional. So a walk or a hits batsman or a hit, it changes the dynamic of an inning, and you've got to try to sustain that inning and keep your confidence and your poise and your intensity and your level of momentum up throughout the game. I think that's a separator, and we kept that.

You hardly ever see a 3-6-3 double play made -- or a 3-6-1. I think it was a 3-6-3 double play made, which was really big.

Q. How does it feel right now that you used two guys out of the bullpen. Right now, you guys are playing Georgia tomorrow with tough offense. What do you feel like you can utilize tomorrow with who your starter may be?

SKIP JOHNSON: I'm kind of a country boy, and I've got a cowboy hat at home, and that's how my dad used to pay his bills; he used to pull his bills out of his cowboy hat. I couldn't tell you who can pitch tomorrow and who can't pitch tomorrow. I just put them in a cowboy hat and pull their name out really.

No, I think it's big that we use those guys, and Jamie was big, Jaden was huge and then using Crooks to finish the game. Getting Jamie through the first inning and the last inning was really big. He pounded the strike zone, got big, big outs when he had to against the front side of their lineup, which was really good. Bell is one of the best players, and if anybody can tell me how to get Luke Lawrence out, please call me or email me or something because he's a really good player and he has tough at-bats.

Really proud of those guys and getting the big win is really big for us to give us some confidence going into tomorrow, and we'll see what happens tomorrow. Throw guys out there, tell them to throw it over the plate and play good defense.