Making their first appearance since 2010, the Oklahoma Sooners wasted little time making their presence felt against future SEC foe Texas A&M. The Sooners jumped out quick with a run in the first and seven in the second to go on to a 13-8 victory over the Aggies in game one of the Men’s College World Series.
The Sooners got off to a great start, putting pressure on Texas A&M from the opening frame.
John Spikerman led off the College World Series with a walk. Peyton Graham fought off an 0-2 count to slap a single to right field, moving Spikerman to third.
Blake Roberson followed that up with a fielder‘s choice to short to get the scoring going.
Pitcher Jake Bennett started hot as well, retiring the Aggies in order in the first.
And the the fireworks started. Jackson Nicklaus earned a one-out walk and Kendall Pettis reached on a hit by pitch with two outs in the inning. Spikerman then reached on an infield single before Peyton Graham got the bases loaded walk to make it 2-0.
Robertson singled to score Pettis and Spikerman and Tanner Tredaway drove in Peyton Graham from second.
Still with two outs in the inning and two on, Jimmy Crooks stepped to the plate and crushed a three-run homer to make it 8-0 before the end of the second inning.
Still early in the game the Aggies would get a three-run homer to cut the lead to five.
Heading to the top of the fourth and looking to get some momentum back, the Sooners loaded the bases for Nicklaus who deposited the offering into the right field seats for the grand slam to make it 12-3.
The Aggies again rallied in the seventh off of David Sandlin for five runs on four hits to make it a 12-8 ball game.
Trevin Michael came in with one out and runners on the corners and allowed both of the inherited runners to score before shutting the door in the seventh. Skip Johnson relied on Michael’s arm the rest of the way as the Sooners’ closer pitched the final 2.2 innings to seal the victory for Oklahoma and put them into the winner’s bracket of the Men’s College World Series.
Michael allowed just one hit and one walk in the 2.2 innings pitch and recorded three strike outs to close the door on Texas A&M.
Starter Jake Bennett pitched six innings, allowing five hits, two of which were home runs, four earned runs, and struck out just three Aggies on the day.
Robertson went 2-for-4 with two walks and an RBI from the lead off spot and Tanner Tredaway was 3-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored. Oklahoma registered seven RBIs with two outs and forced Aggie pitching to surrender 10 walks on the afternoon.
Oklahoma now awaits the winner of Texas vs. Notre Dame, potentially setting up some Red River drama in the winner’s bracket if the Men’s College World Series.
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