Oklahoma ‘Rips The Cord’, Blows Out Alabama in CWS Opener

The Crimson Tide's quiet bats and the Sooners' elite pitching and hitting was far too much for Oklahoma to handle.

Jun 13, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide starting pitcher Tyler Fay (8) and catcher Brady Neal (10) walk to the dugout before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

OMAHA, Neb. — Alabama’s bats had no responses for lefty Cord Rager on Saturday afternoon. 

As a result, it took the Crimson Tide five innings to log their first hit of the game. One wasn’t near enough to stop a 9-0 onslaught to open up the College World Series against Oklahoma. 

Rager, who carried most of Oklahoma's defensive weight, finished with eight strikeouts and a 4.69 ERA, allowing only three hits.  His efforts in the first seven innings halted any offensive momentum Alabama tried to develop, if any at all. 

The most notable part of Rager's performance?

He didn't allow a single run.

The 6-foot-6 freshman from Maypearl, Texas, notably outperformed junior righty Tyler Fay of the Crimson Tide. This was a highly anticipated duel that did not favor Alabama, but was one that left its fingerprints all over the game. 

"Cord was good today, just really good. We just really struggled getting on time with his heater," Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn told reporters following the loss. "We knew how good the fastball was, the extension is really good on it, so 95, 96 plays even firmer. We just couldn't quite get on time today. Felt like we weren't consistently on time."

The Crimson Tide never managed to figure out Rager and weren't able to adjust at any point. It left them lostat various parts of the game, regardless of a left or right-handed batter.

"The guys kept on coming to the dugout, myself included, it wasn't straight," senior designated hitter John Lemm said. "And the sweeper, it starts behind you. It's just two really good pitches in the zone that he commanded."

Three runs in the first three innings for the Sooners were the early nail for Alabama, but an impressive homer later in the game was the final straw. A lack of offensive resistance from the Crimson Tide also didn’t help. 

Rager was hot during his seven innings, but Alabama wasn’t getting much going on its own. Its first hit came from Lemm with a single to center field, which was followed by a left-field single from Eric Hines. Prior to that, Lemm was the only Alabama batter to get on base, doing so thanks to a hit-by-pitch. 

In the top of the sixth inning, junior catcher Deiten LaChance homered to left field to score junior third baseman Camden Johnson and himself. That gave the Sooners a 5-0 lead and gave the Crimson Tide an insurmountable mountain. 

LaChance finished the afternoon with two hits, three runs and two RBI, doing so with a bum ankle after getting tripped up at second base in the first inning.

"I think with Lachance, the biggest key is you've just got to be able to get the ball in on him," Vaughn said. "When he gets his arms extended, it is scary. And he was able to get his arms extended on a slider to just to be away for chase, and he kind of stayed middle and he got it."

Fay’s day came to an end right before the seventh inning started, which was long after Rager’s day came to a close. He was replaced by junior Ashton Crowther.

Fay struggled during his six innings, allowing five runs and six hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Crowther only lasted 1.2 innings, allowing two runs and three hits while registering one strikeout and one walk. He threw only 33 pitches. Crowther was replaced by senior lefty Evan Steckmesser. Steckmesser was later replaced by Sam Mitchell. 

Oklahoma continued its scoring frenzy in the top of the eighth inning, scoring four runs and increasing its lead to nine. A Jaxon Willits single to left-center field scored Jason Walk, which was followed by a Brendan Brock double that scored LaChance. Dasan Harris rounded things out with a single of his own, scoring Willits. 

The Crimson Tide didn’t get enough offense from some of their best hitters, including shortstop Justin Lebron, catcher Brady Neal and center fielder Bryce Fowler. Fowler and Lebron were the only of those three to log a hit, with the others going a combined 2-for-12. 

"When we play a brand of baseball, go play the brand," Vaughn said. "And if it's good enough today, it's good enough. If it's not, it's not. And that's way easier said than done."

In total, the Crimson Tide logged five hits with 30 at-bats. Oklahoma recorded 11 with five more attempts.

Alabama now awaits the loser of Georgia and Texas. First pitch for that matchup is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday evening. The two squads will match up at 1 p.m. Monday.

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