Deiten Lachance smacks 2 early homers to keep Oklahoma afloat in Game 1 of CWS Finals
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Deiten Lachance was a one-man wrecking crew early in Saturday afternoon’s Game 1 of the College World Series Finals.
The Oklahoma catcher did his best to keep the Sooners from falling too far behind against North Carolina as the 2 powerhouses battled for the national championship in Omaha.
Lachance belted 2 home runs in his first 2 at-bats, with the first one being a 2-run blast in the top of the first that briefly gave Oklahoma a 2-0 lead. The homer was to right field and was Lachance’s 17th of the season, which leads the Sooners.
The early power surge from Lachance came on a 2-0 pitch from North Carolina ace Jason DeCaro with a man on second base and 1 out. Lachance showed his opposite-field power, and suddenly the Sooners had that 2-0 lead.
Oklahoma’s lead didn’t last long though. It was gone in a matter of minutes, when Sooners lefty ace Cord Rager allowed 3 runs in the bottom of the first.
But Lachance went back to work in the top of the third, this time getting DeCaro with a 2-out solo homer to left that tied the game at 3-3. The second blast came on a 0-2 pitch.
That’s where the teams stood at the end of 3 innings, as Lachance personally made sure that Oklahoma was in decent shape heading into the middle innings.
Saturday’s Game 1 showdown was only the beginning of a potential 3-game battle between Oklahoma and North Carolina. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Sooners and Tar Heels and their chances to be the last team standing in Omaha:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
