No. 2 seed OU (33-22) fell to No. 1 seed Georgia Tech (50-9) 9-3 in the Atlanta Regional, as the Yellow Jackets outlasted the Sooners at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Sooners and Yellow Jackets exchanged leads four times, but the hosts ran away with the game after a two-run homer from senior outfielder Parker Brosius in the bottom of the sixth inning. OU will have to win two times Sunday and once Monday to have its first regional championship since 2022. Georgia Tech needs only one more win to secure a regional championship, which would mean the program’s sixth super regional appearance and first since 2006.
The Sooners could not contain Brosius, who recorded a 395-foot two-run blast in the bottom of the second inning before his momentum-changing play in the sixth. They also struggled to limit Georgia Tech’s top-five MLB prospect, junior catcher Vahn Lackey. He finished with two runs, including a 468-foot solo homer in the fourth inning.
OU prevented an onslaught of runs from Georgia Tech for over half of the game, but ultimately ran out of steam, especially when the Sooners turned to the bullpen after freshman pitcher Xander Mercurius’ 5.2 innings of work. The Yellow Jackets piled on three runs in the seventh inning alone, with junior infielder Ryan Zuckerman, junior infielder Jarren Advincula and Lackey crossing home plate.
Mercurius recorded a career-high eight strikeouts despite the loss and threw 100 pitches against the Yellow Jackets, who were coming off scoring 22 runs against No. 4 seed Illinois Chicago (27-29-1) on Friday. The Sooners’ other freshman pitcher, left-hander Cord Rager, recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work against No. 3 seed The Citadel (36-25) earlier Saturday.
The Sooners will come out of Saturday boasting two promising freshmen, but for a regional championship return, they will need better relief pitching than the bullpen’s against Georgia Tech.
OU will also need better hitting than it showed against Georgia Tech Saturday. Senior infielder Dayton Tockey and junior infielder Jaxon Willits each recorded a solo home run, but the Sooners’ power at the plate stalled out after the sixth inning.
OU will face The Citadel Sunday after winning their first regional matchup 8-3. The Sooners had five players with at least one run against the Bulldogs and will look to return to form.
OU and The Citadel are scheduled to begin their next matchup at noon Sunday on SEC Network.
This story was edited by Skye Schreck.
