David Sandlin got redemption.
The redshirt sophomore pitcher made a brief, unsuccessful appearance during OU’s 13-8 win over Texas A&M on Friday. After entering the game at the bottom of the seventh inning, he surrendered four runs to the first five batters he faced and quickly got pulled.
A look of disappointment swept over Sandlin’s face as he handed the ball over to head coach Skip Johnson and returned to the dugout.
But a different look could be seen on Sandlin’s face Wednesday. It was one of determination.
OU found itself pitted against Texas A&M once again, this time with a spot in the College World Series finals on the line. Sandlin got the start and dominated, racking up a career-high 12 strikeouts in seven innings to lead the Sooners to a 5-1 victory.
“It just got me ready for the atmosphere,” Sandlin said of Friday’s appearance. “I felt pretty good (today). I just trusted my preparation. Like I’ve been working towards it all year, and I feel like today was more muscle memory than anything up there on the mound.”
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Sandlin set the tone by striking out the side in the top of the first inning. The final out came against Trevor Werner, who got to a 1-2 count before whiffing on a breaking ball.
“Come on,” Sandlin yelled at the crowd as he waved his arms as he walked off the mound.
OU’s bats also came on strong.
The Sooners struck first in the bottom of the frame thanks to Jimmy Crooks, who crushed a three-run home run over the wall in right field.
A Texas A&M fielding error allowed OU to take a 4-0 lead at the bottom of the third inning, and Tanner Tredaway made it a 5-0 contest with an RBI single in the fifth.
“It’s really important for us to score first,” said Crooks, a redshirt sophomore catcher. “That’s the whole game. You just have to score more than the other team. Our approach is just to be aggressive and just do our thing.”
The Aggies got on board in the top of the sixth inning via a leadoff home run by Dylan Rock, but Sandlin kept his composure.
The Owasso native retired the next two batters before getting to a full count against Troy Claunch. The crowd at Charles Schwab Field began a slow cap, and it went into a frenzy when Sandlin got Claunch to go down swinging for his 11th strikeout of the afternoon.
“I just tried to build off of everything that was going on in the game,” Sandlin said. “I like to play with emotions. I know sometimes that’s not the best thing to do, but that’s who I’ve been and who I always will be.
“It just goes back to execution. As long as I kept doing that, that’s really what fueled me.”
Sandlin allowed just five hits in seven innings. The 12 strikeouts tied for the most by a Big 12 player in CWS history.
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Sandlin then handed the ball to closer Trevin Michael to start the eighth inning, and he took care of the rest.
Now just one out away from victory in the top of the ninth inning, Michael threw a slider to Brett Minnich on a 2-2 count. Minnich took a hefty swing and came up empty, sealing OU’s win.
“I’m really proud of our club,” Johnson said. “Hats off to Texas A&M. They have a really good team. To navigate through that lineup was really hard at times, and I’m just really proud of our baseball team and what we’ve done.”
Crooks led the Sooners at the plate with three RBIs and one run on 2-for-4 hitting. Tredaway also tallied one RBI on 1-for-4 hitting.
OU advances to the College World Series Finals. It’ll face the winner of Ole Miss and Arkansas in a best-of-three series that begins Saturday at 6 p.m.
College World Series
Championship round at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
Saturday’s game
OU vs. Ole Miss / Arkansas winner, 6 p.m., (ESPN)
Sunday’s game
OU vs. Ole Miss / Arkansas winner, 2 p.m., (ESPN)
Monday’s game
OU vs. Ole Miss / Arkansas winner, 6 pm, if necessary, (ESPN)
Notes: Ole Miss and Arkansas played late Wednesday. Ole Miss needs one win to advance to play OU.
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College World Series scoreboard
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OU vs. Texas A&M live updates
Follow along for updates throughout the game.
Bottom first: Sooners strike first
Jimmy Crooks put OU on the board with a three-run home run.
Bottom third: Sooners score off fielding error
A Texas A&M fielding error allowed Peyton Graham to score and Blake Robertson to reach first base. This extended OU’s lead to 4-0.
Bottom fifth: Tanner Tredaway piles it on
Tanner Tredaway made it a 5-0 contest with an RBI single to left field.
Top sixth: Texas A&M gets on the board
Dylan Rock delivered a leadoff home run that trimmed OU’s lead to 5-1.