OMAHA, Neb. — Freshman pitcher Cord Rager got punched in the mouth Saturday to start the College World Series championship but proved with a resilient display that he’s not afraid of a taste of blood.
The southpaw allowed three runs in just the first inning of OU’s (42-22) 9-3 win over No. 5 overall seed North Carolina (53-13-1) in Game 1 of the championship series. OU’s at bats got off to a hot start in the first inning, scoring two, but they were stifled by the Tar Heels. However, Rager bounced back strongly and did not give up another run, finishing with five strikeouts, including three in the third, while allowing five hits and three runs in five innings of work.
Head coach Skip Johnson gave the young pitcher advice after the rough first inning.
“They punch back, and what the game will tell you to do is just back away and make you feel sorry for yourself at times, get away from throwing the ball at the target at times,” Johnson said. “(But you) just got to stay with your routines, that's what I kept explaining to him, and use visualization to help you get through your innings. He got through that game through five innings; that's a sign of a really good pitcher. That's a sign of somebody that's got a lot of grit.”
Rager said that he pitched with more of a selfless attitude following the first inning, helping him focus for the remainder of the game.
“After the first inning, I just stopped playing for myself,” Rager said. “I just started playing for the guys around me.”
Rager finished the game with 100 pitches thrown but wanted to keep going.
“I wish I could have stayed out there longer,” Rager said. “I just wanted to throw my arm off for the team.”
Johnson praised Rager’s attitude that led him to a successful outing on the mound.
“He's really good, and he's a freshman. I hope (he doesn’t) throw his arm out for his team; I got to get in the way of that. But it just shows you what he's about,” Johnson said.
The left-hander’s performance to start off the College World Series championship came after leading OU to a 9-0 win over No. 7 overall seed Alabama (42-21) in the Sooners’ first game in Omaha. He drove OU to the largest shutout win in a College World Series opener since Georgia Tech in 2002 and became the first freshman with four no-hit innings in the College World Series since 2010.
Rager and his fellow freshman pitchers, Xander Mercurius and Nick Wesloski, have been instrumental in the Sooners’ NCAA Tournament run. They combined to record 21 strikeouts and allow seven runs in 20 innings pitched in previous College World Series games.
Juniors left-hander Gavyn Jones and right-hander LJ Mercurius pitched in relief for Rager Saturday. Jones threw four strikeouts and allowed two hits and zero runs in 2.1 innings of work. Mercurius threw two strikeouts and allowed zero hits and zero runs in 1.2 innings of work.
The Sooners will look to continue to be sharp on the mound in Game 2 of the College World Series championship against North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska on ABC.
This story was edited by Josh Franklin.
