The Oklahoma Sooners began their Men’s College World Series journey with a strong start by defeating SEC rivals Alabama Crimson Tide in their first game at Charles Schwab Stadium in Omaha, NB, on Saturday. The team showcased a balanced effort, resulting in a 9-0 shutout win over Alabama.
Pitchers Cord Rager and LJ Mercurius led the way with impressive performances on the mound, supported by a powerful hitting lineup. Deiten LaChance, Trey Gambill, and Dasan Harris each contributed two RBIs, while Jaxon Willits and Brendan Brock added the remaining two RBIs.
Although rising-star freshman Nick Wesloski did not pitch in the opener, he was enthusiastic on the sidelines, cheering for his team. In an exclusive interview, he reflected on his spiritual journey, attributing his consistent performances this year to divine guidance that has been directing his career.
“Jesus is God; he’s the light of my life. He guides my direction; he guides every decision I make. When I was committing to this school, I prayed about it and talked to my family about it. I was really struggling in the fall with decisions to make for this season and how I thought I was going to perform,” Wesloski said.
“I was really down on myself, and I went out one night, and I sat on the mound, and I prayed about it, and I said, ‘If this isn’t your plan for me, just let me have it. ‘ “Let me follow my dreams,” he added.
“I’ve really tried to let him take over my life and bring me through this season. If you told me I would have pitched as much as I have and gotten to this point in my life, I would have told you you’re lying. It’s no coincidence,” the RHP concluded.
Oklahoma’s Nick Wesloski Produced a Decent Freshman Year
Wesloski committed to Oklahoma shortly after graduating from McKinney Boyd High School in McKinney, TX. A well-scouted talent, the freshman didn’t disappoint in his first season with the program, making a valuable appearance in the MCWS in Omaha following credible performances in the regionals and super regionals.
Wesloski has appeared in 13 games on the mound this season, starting once. He has pitched a total of 29.0 innings, with a record of 1-1 and an ERA of 4.03. Opponents have a batting average of .194 against him, with 29 strikeouts and 11 walks.
Notably, Wesloski threw 3.0 innings without allowing a hit in his relief outing against Arkansas, tying his career high with five strikeouts. His only start in 2026 came against The Citadel Bulldogs in the NCAA Atlanta Regional, where he pitched a career-high 7.0 innings and struck out four.
Oklahoma remains in the winners’ bracket and will face another SEC rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, at Charles Schwab Stadium on June 15 for a chance to reach the CWS semifinals.
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