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Oklahoma Director of Athletics Roger Denny speaks during a ceremony at the Gaylord Family-Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla.,, Wednesday Jan. 28, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Oklahoma Sooners can do what they haven’t been able to do in some time, and last failed in 2022.
The Oklahoma Sooners are one win away from a college baseball national championship, and they got there by dismantling North Carolina 9-3 in game 1 of the finals.
OU held a Tar Heels offense averaging eight runs per game and batting just under .300 to only three runs. The Sooners’ pitching staff was lights out, and the offense matched it. This is a team that looked dreadful at times during SEC play, and now they’re on the doorstep of a title.
How many people really thought this team would be here? When conference play ended, the answer was probably very few. This was not a squad that inspired championship confidence during the regular season.
But the postseason has been a completely different story. Oklahoma is the hottest team in college baseball and has been since the tournament started.
The pitching staff set the tone
Cord Rager, Jones, and Mercurius led a pitching effort that shut down one of the most dangerous offenses in the country. North Carolina is not some pushover. They earned their spot in the national championship series, and their lineup had been punishing opponents all tournament long. The Sooners made them look ordinary. Holding a team of that caliber to three runs at this stage is elite, and that’s exactly what the staff delivered.
The Sooners’ bats were just as impressive
On the offensive side, LaChance crushed two home runs. Harris collected three hits. Five different batters recorded at least two hits in the game. That kind of balanced offensive production is rare at any point in a season, let alone in the championship finals. Oklahoma wasn’t relying on one or two guys to carry the load. The lineup was clicking from top to bottom, making North Carolina’s pitching staff look vulnerable all night.
An unprecedented path to the finals
The Sooners’ road to this point has been, as mentioned throughout this tournament, unprecedented. No team has taken a path quite like this one to reach the championship series. That makes what Oklahoma is doing even more impressive. They haven’t just survived the bracket. They’ve dominated it, and game 1 against North Carolina was the latest example.
Now the question becomes whether they can finish the job. One more win, and the Oklahoma Sooners are national champions. After what they showed Saturday, there’s every reason to believe this team has the pitching, the hitting, and the momentum to get it done.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Oklahoma Sooners are on the verge of doing what they haven't done in nearly 35 years
© 2026 A to Z Sports.
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