Sooners Drop Tech To Force A Game 7

The Oklahoma Sooners showed strength and resilience on Sunday evening as they came back from a six- run deficit to beat Georgia Tech and force another game to settle the 2026 NCAA Atlanta regional tournament.

For the second straight game, Tech was held to only eight hits, though the resulting eight runs should win most baseball games.

But eight was not nearly enough on this night when Tech's pitching staff had no good answers for the Sooners' bats. Oklahoma tallied 18 hits and added four walks plus two hit batsmen. That recipe led to an eight- run fourth inning that turned this game.

The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, were held scoreless over the final five frames, with OU relievers Gawyn Jones and LJ Mercurius allowing only two Tech hits total.

The game began quite well for the Jackets, curiously cast as the visitors on this cool, humid night in midtown Atlanta. Shortstop Carson Kerse led off the game with a walk, and Tech's star centerfielder Drew Burress homered to give Tech a lightning quick 2-0 lead. And when Jarren Advincula was then hit by a pitch, OU coach Skip Johnson pulled his starter Cameron Johnson in favor of Cleveland Jackson who got out of the first inning without further damage.

But Tech figured him out in the third frame, scoring five times including another home run by Alex Hernandez. Tech added another run in the fourth and seemed in command with an 8- 2 lead.

But OU pounced in their half of the fourth, scoring eight times, off of three Tech pitchers– starter Blakely, and relievers Caden Gaudette and then Cooper Underwood.

Gaudette had a particularly tough go, allowing three hits to load the bases before OU catcher Deiten Lachance smacked a grand slam to give the Sooners the lead at 9-8.

It was a lead that would only grow larger as the game went on, as Tech could not find a way to score from there.

Meanwhile, a parade of Tech pitchers continued to struggle, allowing four more runs in the Soners' eighth.

Post- game, Tech coach James Ramsey was resolute- " tip your cap to Oklahoma ", said Ramsey.

He was not surprised by the quick hook OU coach Skip Johnson wielded by pulling his starter after only three batters in the first inning

But he eschewed a similar decision himself, leaving his first reliever Gaudette out there to face four batters, each ultimately scoring in the big fourth inning for Oklahoma.

This outcome would seem to add pressure to the Techsters.

Ramsey and his players say otherwise. For the decisive Game seven on Monday, Tech will be the home team. Maybe thst will make a difference.

Maybe the fact that Oklahoma has already played four games in three days will make a difference. Maybe.

Game 7- Monday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.

Win or go home.

Patrick Conarro

RamblinSports