Oklahoma Drops Series to Vols, but Dieten LaChance's Big Day Leads to Game Three Win

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma and Tennessee had to wait 16 hours and 15 minutes to resume play of the Friday night's second game.

Down 5-3 with one out and a runner on first, OU quickly saw the inning end with a ground out and a fly out. That was essentially all she wrote for Oklahoma's chances to force a rubber game later in the afternoon as they fell 9-4.

OU refused to be swept in their final regular season game thanks to a great opening inning. It was Dieten LaChance who led the Sooners on Saturday, resulting in a 12-9 victory. His three home runs were the most in a single game since Chris Haggard against Iowa State in 2000. He even added a triple in the second.

Their 14th conference win greatly increased their chances to secure a postseason big in the NCAA Tournament.

Jason Walk, Oklahoma Sooners — Jason Walk heads back to the dug out. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Cord Rager got the start at the mound and had a good day considering the power Tennesse plays with. He finished with six strikes outs and gave up six runs off of six hits.

LaChance crushed his 10th home run (tied with Brendan Brock) of the season in the first to put the Sooners up on top. LaChance, who had some words with Tennessee last night causing a game stoppage and double warnings, let the Volunteer dugout know how he felt.

The fire seemed to ignite an Oklahoma explosion — mainly due poor throws from the Volunteers and savvy vision from Sooner batters at the plate.

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Back-to-back walks followed the LaChance homer. Then Brenden Brock made it to first thanks to a low throw from Volunteer short stop Manny Marin — scoring Jaxon Willits. A Dasan Harris walk led to a Dayton Tockey walk with bases loaded — Tockey's first RBI since February 28 against Gonzaga.

The next three Sooner runs were unearned — a wild pitch scored Brenden Brock, another throwing error to first allowed Dasan Harris to score and Jason Walk beat a throw to first, scoring Tockey.

A 6-0 OU lead dwindled to 6-2 once Levi Clark hit a two-run home run.

The Sooners weren't done taking advantage of poor Volunteer pitching. LaChance ripped a ball into right field that landed just fair out of reach of the glove of Reese Chapman. LaChance hustled to third for a triple.

Oklahoma Sooners, Deiten Lachance — Oklahoma infielder Deiten Lachance | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Gambill doubled into right field to score LaChance followed by Harris singling to bring Gambill home to increase the lead to 8-2.

Tennessee inched closed in the fourth with a run but OU would answer back — again with a Tockey walk after a wild pitch to score Gambilll.

Three runs scored in the fifth by the Volunteers trimmed the Sooner lead at 9-6.

Then LaChance did it again. His first multi-home run game of the season came at a great time to put OU ahead 10-6 in the fifth. LaChance now leads the Sooners in home runs with 11.

Tennessee wouldn't go away, scoring two runs in the seventh off a Chapman single with bases loaded.

LaChance wasn't done. He sent his third homer (12th on the year) into deep right field to increase the lead to 11-8 in the seventh.

OU entered the bottom of the eighth leading 11-9 after Tennessee added a run on their end.

Tockey, who walked four times prior, launched one into deep right field for a home run to put the lead at 12-9.

At 32-20 (14-16), OU has concluded their regular season. The SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama begins on May 19.

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