This is an article that I co-wrote with another beat writer when covering the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Below is my portion of the article.

Game Six

By: Jacob Thimjon

The Oklahoma Sooners used an all-around performance at the plate, on the mound, and on the field in their 6-2 victory against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Game Six of MCWS.

Sooner first baseman Blake Robertson electrified the Sooner faithful by catching a pop fly-out in foul territory and then fell over the first base dugout railing and into Notre Dame’s dugout to record the game’s first out on the first pitch of the game.

“That was a spectacular play,” Oklahoma starting pitcher Cade Horton said. “This defense behind me is incredible.”

Tanner Tredaway got the Sooners on the board in the bottom of the third, delivering a one-out run-batted-in single to center field that scored Sooner first-team All-Big 12 selection Peyton Graham, from third base to give Oklahoma an early 1-0 lead. Third baseman Wallace Clark extended the Sooner lead to 2-0 later in the inning, delivering his own RBI single to center field to score Tredaway.

The Sooners continued their offensive assault adding three more runs in the bottom of the fifth after Clark reached base safely on a throwing error by Notre Dame first baseman Carter Putz that traveled into foul territory down the right-field line. The error scored Oklahoma catcher Jimmy Crooks who singled to begin the inning, and Tredaway, who reached on a single to left field earlier in the inning. Jackson Nicklaus scored the third run of the bottom of the fifth for the Sooners with an RBI single to left field that scored Clark from third base.

Notre Dame catcher David LaManna hit a two-run home run into the Oklahoma left-field bullpen; his third home run of the season in the top of the sixth, cutting the Sooner lead to 5-2.

The Sooners quickly responded their next turn at-bat after Tredaway delivered an RBI single to center field that scored right fielder John Spikerman.

The Notre Dame bullpen allowed six runs in 4 ⅔ innings of work after relieving starting pitcher Austin Temple.

“Nobody could really settle in consistently string sequences together to limit them,” Notre Dame head coach Link Jarrett said. “We didn’t finish them off.”

Oklahoma’s Horton pitched six innings while only allowing two runs on five hits and recorded 11 strikeouts.

“He had a good fastball and good secondary stuff, and he was in the zone all day,” LaManna said of Horton’s pitching performance.

After relieving Horton, the Oklahoma bullpen pitched three shutout innings allowing just two hits to help seal Oklahoma’s 6-2 victory.

 With the win, Oklahoma (44-22) is one win away from advancing to the MCWS championship series.

“We want to prove people wrong and make a statement,” Tredaway said.

Notre Dame (41-16) will play the Texas A&M Aggies in an elimination game on Tuesday at 1 p.m to keep their hopes of a national championship alive.

“We just try and go 1-0 each and every day,” Putz said. “As long as we play our game, we can go out there and compete with anyone.”