Freshman pitcher guides Oklahoma past No. 3 Georgia at MCWS

Field Level Media

Jaxon Willits hit a two-run homer and Brendan Brock added a solo shot to help Oklahoma notch a 4-3 victory over No. 3 Georgia on Monday night in Men’s College World Series play at Omaha, Neb.

Oklahoma freshman right-hander Xander Mercurius struck out a career-high nine while pitching a career-best 7 1/3 innings for the Sooners (40-22), who continue on with a winners-bracket game on Wednesday. Willits had three hits for Oklahoma, and Jason Walk had two.

Right-hander Jackson Cleveland recorded the final five outs for his ninth save. Cleveland retired Golden Spikes Award finalist Daniel Jackson on a fly to right with two on and two outs in the ninth to end it.

Kenny Ishikawa, Brennan Hudson and Jackson homered for the Bulldogs (52-13), who will oppose No. 6 Texas in an elimination game Tuesday night.

Mercurius (1-2) was making just his fourth start of the season. He gave up three runs — all on homers — while permitting six hits and walking two.

Georgia right-hander Caden Aoki (9-2) allowed four runs and eight hits over eight innings. He struck out six and walked none in a 115-pitch effort.

The 104th and final pitch thrown by Mercurius was sent into orbit by Jackson. The 447-foot blast was his 32nd of the season and it landed well back in the left-center bleachers, bringing Georgia within 4-3.

Rylan Lujo greeted Cleveland with a single and Ishikawa later drew a two-out walk. Ryan Wynn then sent a deep drive to right that was caught on the warning track by Dasan Harris.

Hudson singled to right to start the Georgia ninth, and Ty Peeples entered as a pinch runner. Cleveland fanned Kolby Branch before hitting pinch hitter Cole Johnson on the upper right arm with a pitch. Cleveland fanned Tre Phelps for the second out.

Jackson followed with a fly into right-center that was corralled by center fielder Walk.

The Sooners never trailed after scoring three runs in the first inning.

Walk doubled and Camden Johnson was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up a base when Aoki made an errant pickoff throw to second. Deiten Lachance grounded to shortstop to drive in Walk.

Willits followed with a two-run blast to right-center to make it 3-0.

The Bulldogs struck with two outs in the fourth when Ishikawa drilled a homer to right.

Oklahoma got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Brock homered to right-center with one out.

Georgia moved within 4-2 in the fifth when Hudson went the opposite way with an 0-2 pitch and it cleared the wall in left-center.

–Field Level Media