OU baseball drops rubber game, series to Alabama

For the better part of eight innings the series was there for the taking on Saturday at Kimrey Family Stadium. 

Oklahoma went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and despite a phenomenal effort from the Sooners bullpen to keep its offense within punching distance. It was the Crimson Tide’s three run first inning that was the difference in the rubber game. 

The Tide’s 3-2 victory a gut punch in what was a frustrating weekend for Oklahoma offensively despite outhitting the Tide 7-5. 

“I thought we gave that game away. I don’t think we gave the series away but I thought we gave that game away for sure,” said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson. 

TIDE’S FIRST INNING THE DIFFERENCE

Oklahoma was forced into a tight spot on Saturday, scratching Cord Rager from the bump and giving way to Trent Collier’s first career start. Collier damn near escaped the first inning unscathed.

Unfortunately, he didn’t escape the inning. Wild pitch combined with a passed ball and a dropped fly ball in centerfield and Alabama posted three runs in the inning. 

Frustrating in a sense that the two pitches that went to the backstop allowed two runs to score. A third run on a ball hit to Walk in centerfield that he never was able to track off the bat. 

Costly anytime that happens in college baseball. Even moreso in conference play against a good team. 

“Fundamentally we’ve got to keep the ball in front of us. Two change ups that gets between our legs. We’ve got to play fundamental baseball. We beat ourselves in that inning,” said Johnson. 

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AFTER MISSED OPPORTUNITIES 

Oklahoma lost the rubber game but it wasn’t without plenty of opportunity. Multiple times the Sooners got the leadoff runner on in a frame. They went 3-for-16 with runners on base. Even worse was the production with runners in scoring position, finishing the game going 2-for-12. 

Deiten Lachance led off the second inning with a double that didn’t leave the infield. Kyle Branch followed by popping up a bunt attempt caught in foul territory. A perfect example of small ball execution that came up costly. 

The Sooners stranded the tying run in scoring position in three of the final four innings. That timely two out base hit that Oklahoma banked on in the early portion of the season hasn’t come to pass of late. 

“They executed and we didn’t,” said Johnson. 

“Early in the year we were getting two out hits. We haven’t got a two out hit in awhile. That goes back to having confidence. That goes back to trying too hard. There’s a lot of things you can put it on but you just have to keep plowing and keep playing.” 

BULLPEN BOUNCE BACK 

Over the course of the weekend, one thing you can say positively about the weekend is the fact its pitching staff kept them in the series all weekend. 

Xander Mercurius was fantastic on Thursday in the opener. Kadyn Leon slammed the door shut in the Sooners lone win in the middle game Friday.

On Saturday it was a combination of arms. Nick Wesloski along with Gavyn Jones, Jason Bodin and Jackson Cleveland combined to pitch the final seven innings on Saturday, allowing just two hits and striking out nine. 

CAUTION SIDELINED RAGER 

It was a surprise to see Trent Collier getting the start over lefty Cord Rager. 

Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson said it was a cautionary decision to scratch Rager on Saturday morning. 

“Rager has a slight feeling in his lat. He’s a little sore. I’m not going to rest his future on trying to push him through a game like that. We had the bullpen left because of what Xander did on Thursday night,” said Johnson.