Deiten LaChance homers three times as OU baseball avoids sweep, beats Vols, 12-9

OU baseball salvaged the weekend with a 12-9 victory over Tennessee on Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, closing out the regular season with a 32-20 (14-16) record. 

Deiten LaChance homered three times in the win, becoming the first Sooners player to do so since Chris Haggard in 2000. After not hitting his first home run of the season until April 9, LaChance has hit 12 home runs over the Sooners’ last 20 games. 

“It was hard mentally. I’ve always been a guy that has been able to hit the ball over the fence. I’m just happy now that I can do it and help the team win some games. It’s the best part of the year. It’s the most important part of the year,” said LaChance. 

Historic afternoon for Deiten LaChance. First three HR day by a #Sooners player since Chris Haggard (2000 – vs. Iowa State). He went 4-for-5 with 3 HRs and a triple. pic.twitter.com/99EQ0mrS8l

— Eddie Radosevich (@Eddie_Rado) May 16, 2026

LaChance homered four times over the weekend and now leads the team in home runs. 

“He’s meant a lot to us all year long. He keeps everyone loose, understands that. A really good baseball player. He works extremely hard at it. Real personable man,” said head coach Skip Johnson.

Fourteen is a magic number?

Historically, teams in the Southeastern Conference with 14 conference wins make the NCAA Tournament. 

That’s what made Oklahoma’s victory to close the regular season and avoid a weekend sweep so important. The Sooners will be the No. 11 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament, opening Tuesday night against No. 14 LSU. 

“I think it was huge. We finished the season last year with 13 wins and we felt like we needed a win in the conference tournament,” Johnson said. “It really kind of solidifies us probably getting in even though we probably played the hardest schedule of anybody in the SEC. 

“You can use a lot of excuses but we’re not here to make excuses. We’re here to just enjoy the things we did right moreso than wrong. We played good today. Could we have played better defense at times? Absolutely. Could we have made better pitches at times? Absolutely. But that season is over with. Now it’s time to move forward and continue on the path that we’re on.” 

Following Deiten LaChance’s first home run of the day in the opening frame, benches were each given warnings after a friendly exchange between LaChance and the Tennessee dugout 

“I’m a competitive guy. I don’t let people step on my feet. The emotion got out of me a little bit. I just want to win games. I don’t like people disrespecting us. Disrespecting me. Disrespecting my team. I had to show up for the team right there,” said LaChance. 

Even if it was indirect. His team heard it. The Sooners proceeded to plate five more runs on a pair of Tennessee errors in the inning and led 6-0. Trey Gambill and Dasan Harris each drove in runs in the second and Oklahoma led 8-2. 

Henry Ford’s solo shot in the fifth cut the Oklahoma lead to 9-6, knocking starter Cord Rager out of the game after 4.2 innings. LaChance got the run back in the bottom half, blasting a 3-2 pitch into the Sooners bullpen. 

After Tennessee answered back with Reese Chapman two-run single in the seventh, LaChance opened the Sooners half with his third home run of the day to right field. He’s now homered in seven of his last nine games. 

Dayton Tockey added a solo home run in the eighth while also drawing four walks in his final regular season game in a Sooners uniform. 

Jason Bodin picked up the win throwing 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Jackson Cleveland picked up his eighth save of the year recording the final four outs.

NEXT UP

Oklahoma (32-20, 14-16) heads to Hoover, Ala., for the SEC Tournament starting on Tuesday against No. 14 seed LSU. First pitch set for 8 p.m.