Oklahoma Baseball: Sooners 'Ready, Excited' for CWS Rematch With Texas A&M
OMAHA – Oklahoma is one win away from playing for a national title.
The Sooners’ historic run has them as one of just four teams in the country left playing baseball as they battle No. 5 Texas A&M (44-19) on Wednesday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field.
The game serves as a rematch of Friday’s College World Series opener, when Oklahoma (44-22) used a seven-run second inning to route the Aggies 13-8.
But, despite the comfortable win just five days ago, the Sooners know it will take their best effort to take down the SEC foe again.
“We’re not going to take them lightly,” first baseman Blake Robertson said after practice on Monday, before the Aggies advanced with a 5-1 victory Tuesday over Notre Dame. “I think we’re ready for whoever, honestly. It’s going to be fun. … I’m excited for it.”
Oklahoma’s classic “pitch by pitch” and “game by game” approach has been well-documented throughout the year and while it may sound cliché, it seems to be clearly working.
Blake Robertson at Tuesday's practice
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
Regardless of the opponent or the venue, the Sooners appear to play with the same ferocity and focus each and every time they take the diamond.
“It’s (team mentality) just been the same, basically, since we’ve been here,” head coach Skip Johnson. “I think Reggie (Willits) put it best when we first got here. We’re here on a mission. We’re here (to do) what we’re supposed to do. It was really good that he said it, I knew it was coming. And that’s the thing. It’s fun to be around these coaches, fun to be around these players, no matter what the outcome is.”
Johnson credits the team's message of simply always giving maximum effort as a large reason why Oklahoma has continued to be successful through various opponents and different ballparks.
Peyton Graham in the cage Tuesday.
John E. Hoover / AllSooners
In the eyes of the Sooners, if they do their job and play to their ability, the rest will take care of itself.
“We play against the baseball,” Johnson said. “That’s what we try to do. Try to play better catch, execute our game plan better, whatever it may be, we try to do it to the best of our ability. All we can ask those kids every day is to give (their) best effort. We can’t ask those guys to go 4-for-4 with two stolen bases or hit a home run (Peyton Graham's historic line in Sunday's win over Notre Dame) or (pitchers) David Sandlin or Jake Bennett or Trevin Michael to be somebody they’re not. Just give us good effort. That’s all we ask of them.”
Sandlin gets the ball against the Aggies on Wednesday. The right-hander will look to bounce back after allowing five earned runs in 3 ⅔ innings pitched against Virginia Tech last weekend.
How to Watch
Charles Schwab Field, Omaha
- Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M
- 1 p.m.
- ESPN
However, the two outings prior to that against Kansas State and Florida were certainly two of his best, going a combined 13 innings allowing just four earned runs and striking out 15 in a pair of OU wins.
While the contest is not an elimination game for Oklahoma, the opportunity to win and give themselves two more days off before the final series is certainly tantalizing.
A victory and the Sooners can line up ace starter Jake Bennett with Cade Horton to follow, whereas a Thursday game likely means Bennett will be forced to pitch prior to the finals.
Looking to punch their ticket to the championship series, Oklahoma battles Texas A&M at 1 p.m. at Charles Schwab Field.