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The Oklahoma Sooners' run to the national championship was certainly fueled by an offense that came to life in the Atlanta regional and didn't slow down through their 13-2 win over UNC to win the College World Series. But another huge storyline was the work of Oklahoma freshmen starters Cord Rager, Xander Mercurius, and Nick Wesloski.
The freshmen trio started every game for the Sooners in Omaha, a rare feat. And they were electric. Speaking on the Paul Finebaum Show on Wednesday, Oklahoma Sooners head coach Skip Johnson was asked about how the freshmen emerged as the Sooners top options to start in the postseason.
"It starts with their character," Johnson told Finebaum. "They were tough kids, they were good players in high school. So you try to set up a system. I'm not the best pitching coach, I never claimed to be. I don't have magic dust that I throw on top of them either. It's a unique philosophy, and we start with their maintenance program, we start with their delivery, we go with the mental game, we go with pitch design, and game management. We start with that and so, as those freshmen came through, they got better and better every week, and their presence was incredible. They weren't afraid of the moment. They kept throwing it in there."
More: Social media reacts to Oklahoma Sooners' national championship win
They were unfazed by the moment, coming through with big-time performances against some of the best offenses in college baseball. Rager threw seven shutout innings to beat Alabama to open the College World Series. Xander Mercurius held a Georgia offense that was one of the best in baseball to three earned runs in 7.1 innings. Wesloski then allowed just one earned run to the Bulldogs in 5.1 innings pitched to help propel Oklahoma to the championship series.
In the finals against North Carolina, they might have given up more runs, but their presence and ability to get Oklahoma off to a good start was huge. Pitching on that stage, the freshmen stuck to Skip Johnson and the staff's plan, helping deliver the Sooners tird national championship.
"Our philosophy is just throw it to the target," Johnson said. That's really the only thing we can control, one pitch at a time. And you got to be present on that pitch to throw it in there, and hopefully our defense makes a play or they swing and miss it. You can't make a hitter swing and miss. The only thing you can control is throwing it to the target and they done a great job sticking by that plan as we went into games in the last three and four weeks."
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Skip Johnson on what led to Oklahoma starting three freshmen in Omaha
Continue reading...
The freshmen trio started every game for the Sooners in Omaha, a rare feat. And they were electric. Speaking on the Paul Finebaum Show on Wednesday, Oklahoma Sooners head coach Skip Johnson was asked about how the freshmen emerged as the Sooners top options to start in the postseason.
"It starts with their character," Johnson told Finebaum. "They were tough kids, they were good players in high school. So you try to set up a system. I'm not the best pitching coach, I never claimed to be. I don't have magic dust that I throw on top of them either. It's a unique philosophy, and we start with their maintenance program, we start with their delivery, we go with the mental game, we go with pitch design, and game management. We start with that and so, as those freshmen came through, they got better and better every week, and their presence was incredible. They weren't afraid of the moment. They kept throwing it in there."
More: Social media reacts to Oklahoma Sooners' national championship win
They were unfazed by the moment, coming through with big-time performances against some of the best offenses in college baseball. Rager threw seven shutout innings to beat Alabama to open the College World Series. Xander Mercurius held a Georgia offense that was one of the best in baseball to three earned runs in 7.1 innings. Wesloski then allowed just one earned run to the Bulldogs in 5.1 innings pitched to help propel Oklahoma to the championship series.
In the finals against North Carolina, they might have given up more runs, but their presence and ability to get Oklahoma off to a good start was huge. Pitching on that stage, the freshmen stuck to Skip Johnson and the staff's plan, helping deliver the Sooners tird national championship.
"Our philosophy is just throw it to the target," Johnson said. That's really the only thing we can control, one pitch at a time. And you got to be present on that pitch to throw it in there, and hopefully our defense makes a play or they swing and miss it. You can't make a hitter swing and miss. The only thing you can control is throwing it to the target and they done a great job sticking by that plan as we went into games in the last three and four weeks."
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Skip Johnson on what led to Oklahoma starting three freshmen in Omaha
Continue reading...
