Auburn beats Oklahoma in Game 1 of series
Auburn jumped on OU starter LJ Mercurius early and held off a Sooners rally.
Just about every Oklahoma baseball series from this point on is massive for the Sooners ' postseason hopes. Friday didn't provide the best start. The 13th-ranked Sooners will make the NCAA Tournament, barring a total collapse in the season's final month, but OU has visions of hosting a regional in Norman, as well.
Collecting series wins would do it. But Auburn set Oklahoma on the back foot in the opener, 6-4. The No.
9 Tigers tagged OU for five runs in the first four innings, chasing starter LJ Mercurius after three-plus. Mercurius gave up two first-inning solo home runs, an RBI single in the second frame and walked the first batter of the fourth before coach Skip Johnson pulled him. Mason Bixby then gave up a two-run shot on the second pitch he threw as Auburn countered Oklahoma's two runs from the top half of the inning to take a 5-2 lead.
OU appeared to be pulling things back in the top of the fourth with an RBI double from Brendan Brock and an RBI single from Deitan LaChance before Auburn's equaling in the bottom. The two teams traded a run apiece in the seventh and Oklahoma managed just one more run, another LaChance RBI single in the eighth, before things ended. Auburn's lineup was too good.