Heading into game 1 of the College World Series championship series vs North Carolina, one of the big questions surrounding Oklahoma was could they keep up the strong offense they’ve shown throughout the NCAA National Championship.
OU answered that question in a big way in defeating the Tar Heels, 9-3, to put themselves only one win away from their 3rd national championship in program history.
The Sooners were the home team on Saturday and they opened the scoring in the top half of the 1st inning. After a base hit by 3B Camden Johnson, junior catcher, Deiten Lachance stepped up to the plate. Lachance took a 2-0 pitch to right center gap as it carried over the wall for a 2 run homerun to make the score 2-0.
North Carolina answered for 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the 1st. The first 4 batters for the Tar Heels all got hits with 2 of them doubles scoring 2 runs. A few batters later, the 3rd run for UNC came in on a sac fly making it 3-2 UNC after one inning.
After a scoreless 2nd inning, the Sooners got back on board in the top half of the 3rd inning, when “Big Maple” hit his 2nd bomb of the game making it 3-3.
OU took control of the game in the 4th inning scoring 4 times – all with 2 outs. Brendan Brock and Dasan Harris reached base by a walk and double respectively and where on 3B and 2B when Kyle Branch got his first hit of the College World Series on a 2 strike count bringing both in. A stolen base and wild pitch later, Branch is standing on 3B when Jason Walk brings him in on a hard hit that ate up the shortstop. Camden Johnson brings Walk in with a base hit after Walk stole 2B to make it 7-3 Sooners.
In the 6th inning, Dayton Tockey led off with a double. After he is sacrificed to 3B by Branch, Walk knocks in his 2nd run of the game on a ball back up the middle to make it 8-3 Sooners.
OU wrapped up the scoring in the top half of the 9th when Jaxon Willits brings in Camden Johnson on a 4-6-3 double play. Johnson was on 3B after a lead off walk and base hit by Lachance advancing him to 3B.
Cord Rager started on the mound for the Sooners and earned the win. After the shaky 1st inning, Rager settled in and was what the Sooners needed. He allowed only 1 base runner each of the next 4 innings – a hit in the 2nd, a walk in the 3rd, and a hit by pitch in both the 4th and 5th.
Gavyn Jones came in relief in the 6th and was outstanding over the next 2.1 innings. Jones allowed only 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4. In a weird twist, after starting the 7th with a 2-0 count, Skip Johnson tried to take him out for LJ Mercurius, but wasn’t allowed to due to a rule stating the pitcher had to finish the 1st AB of an inning if it wasn’t a pinch runner. Jones went on to strike out the lead off batter before giving way to Mercurius.
Mercurius was outstanding in his 1.2 innings pitched allowing only a walk while striking out 2.
The Sooners will play North Carolina in Game 2 of the championship series at 1:30 (CDT) on Sunday with a chance to win the 3rd national championship in program history. Freshman, Xander Mercurius will get the start for the Sooners on the mound.
Select Sooner stats:
– Lachance: 3-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI
– Harris: 3-4, 2 2B
– Walk: 2-5, 2 RBI
– Johnson: 2-4, RBI, BB
– Willits: 2-5, 2B
– Branch: H, 2 RBI
– Rager (W): 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
– Jones: 2.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K
– Mercurius: 1.2 IP, BB, 2 K
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