The Sooners leaned on freshman pitching again, as they began the College World Series Saturday, and left-hander Cord Rager showed that was the right decision.
Rager guided OU (39-22) to a 9-0 win over No. 7 overall seed Alabama (42-20). He started the game strong; he is the first freshman with four no-hit innings in the College World Series since 2010. Rager also helped OU to the largest shutout win in a College World Series opener since Georgia Tech in 2002.
He dominated on the mound, tying his career-high strikeouts with eight in seven innings of work. The left-hander allowed the Crimson Tide to register only three hits. Alabama’s top-10 MLB prospect, junior shortstop Justin Lebron, recorded only one hit, along with zero runs.
“When Cord’s on the mound, you always have a chance to win,” junior catcher Deiten Lachance said. “You can put the Yankees in front.”
Lachance, who recorded two runs batted in and a home run in the win, added that Rager had a relentless mentality in the win.
“Cord was just attacking them,” Lachance said. “They had no chance.”
Rager said he made sure to have the same mindset as he would have in any other outing.
“I just tried to tell myself, ‘It's like any other game,’” Rager said. “And I just worked the process, and everything else just fades away.”
Rager found his curveball to be successful. It proved dependable as the left-hander handled the Crimson Tide, which had recorded at least seven runs in its previous five games.
“I've always been good with location and knowing I had my curveball today, which my curveball was on today,” Rager said. “And to get those hitters out without having to change really -- it was the back-foot curve. It worked well for me today. And I could rely on it.”
Rager added that he has improved his pitching thought processes since earlier in the season. The left-hander has rounded into strong form in the postseason, also starting in game one of super regionals and regionals. He finished with six strikeouts and allowed only one hit and zero runs in six innings of work against No. 2 overall seed Georgia Tech (50-11) in game one of super regionals.
“I'm definitely not the same pitcher I was,” Rager said. “So it's definitely good that they probably saw the old me, the guy who was still learning during the SEC play. …And now, I'm finding the good mixture, and I'm able to keep guys off balance. … Just being able to mix my pitches better, don't fall into rhythms and patterns is what I've learned a lot, because I used to just go up there and throw heaters and not mix anything up. And I got ambushed by some teams.”
Head coach Skip Johnson, who is known to be a pitching guru, has helped enhance Rager’s pitching.
“He had a higher slot,” Johnson said. “Just take his hand away from his head a little bit to free him up a little bit. … The thing that he has is deception of length of 7-foot, 7'1, 7'2 extension.”
The Maypearl, Texas native came in as a pitcher and hitter, according to Johnson, and decided to put down the bat after a winter conversation with his head coach, something former Sooner and current Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton has done.
“He came in as a pitcher and a hitter. And he made the decision -- he came in, called me over Christmas and said, ‘Hey, I think I'm going to put the bat down,’ …” Johnson said. “Cade Horton actually played in Omaha and then did it. … And those guys understand.”
The Sooners will continue in the College World Series against the winner between No. 3 overall seed Georgia (51-12) and No. 6 overall seed Texas (45-13), at 6 p.m. Monday in Omaha on ESPN.
This story was edited by Josh Franklin.
