The Oklahoma Sooners faced the No. 3-seeded Georgia Bulldogs in the semifinals of the College World Series at Charles Schwab Stadium on Wednesday. The game was extra special for the Branch family, who were present at the stadium.
While Rusty and Kari Branch watched from the bleachers, their sons Kolby and Kyle faced off on the field. Georgia senior shortstop Kolby, in his final college game, hit a 401-foot home run in the bottom of the ninth, with his team trailing 11-3. He high-fived Kyle, the Sooners’ second baseman, as their parents cheered.
Fans reacted to the emotional moment between the Branch brothers, applauding the warm moment they shared despite being on opposite teams.
The Sooners ultimately won the game 11-4 and advanced to the finals, where they will face the Tar Heels in a best-of-three series starting Saturday.
The Branch Brothers Reflected on Their Deep Ties Ahead of Georgia-Oklahoma Matchup
Before facing off on Wednesday night, the Branch brothers spoke about the special moment and how much they respected each other.
“We support each other, hands down no matter what. It’s become one of my favorite relationships in my life. That’s sometimes what it takes, you’ve got to get through those bumps. We’ve both matured and grown into men who can support each other and compete at the same time,” Kyle told NCAA.com
“It’s kind of ironic because you spend the last four years, or really all our lives, being in different places. Then you finally get to the last stop in my career for college. We’re in one area, we’re in the same stadium…it means the world to me and my family,” Kolby said.
Rusty and Kari wore a special split jersey for the game, with one half depicting the Sooners and the other the Bulldogs.
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