Oklahoma's softball team was the talk of the sports world just a couple weeks ago. Now, it's the school's baseball team that's on the verge of doing something unprecedented: winning national championships in both sports in the same season.
Why? Because of plays like the one Oklahoma first baseman Blake Robertson made against Notre Dame to help advance the Sooners one step closer to Omahan glory. This is the definition of putting your body on the line to make a catch.
Blake Robertson's Terrific CWS Catch
? AMAZING...ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! ?
? ESPN2#MCWS x @OU_Baseball pic.twitter.com/TYI6R0nBW3
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 19, 2022
I don't know about you guys, but I've barely settled on to the couch with a plate of wings by the time the first pitch of a game has been thrown. I'm hardly even paying attention.
The first pitch between Oklahoma and Notre Dame on Sunday was one that produced the best play we'll see all tournament at the NCAA Men's College World Series.
Fighting Irish leadoff hitter Ryan Cole popped the ball up high above his team's dugout. Robertson beelined it to make the catch, extend over the padded railing and completely flip his body like a gymnast performing a vault routine.
Is it just me or is this why we've all fallen head over heels for this game? Dad jokes aside, Robertson's catch was simply terrific. That's how you start a game and show your team you're willing to do whatever it takes to make the play. Also, props to Notre Dame's John Michael Bertrand for helping Robertson out in the dugout.
Oklahoma wound up winning the game, 6-2, to move just a win away from the MCWS Finals. If they're able to win it all, it would mark the first time ever that one school captured softball and baseball national titles in the same season. The closest a school has come was in 2010 when UCLA's softball team won a title and the baseball team lost to South Carolina in the championship game. Florida also almost pulled it off in 2017, when the baseball team won it all and the softball team fell to Oklahoma in the WCWS Finals.
With plays like this one, I'd say Oklahoma has a real shot at achieving dual-diamond greatness.
