Oklahoma takes opener vs. Virginia Tech, 5-4

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Jake Bennett and Trevin Michael combined for 12 strikeouts and Kendall Pettis drove in two runs to lead Oklahoma to a 5-4 win over No. 4 Virginia Tech Friday in the first game of the NCAA Blacksburg Super Regional at English Field.

Bennett (9-3) struck out eight and allowed just one earned run over 7.0 innings and Michael punched four over 2.0 frames to earn his 10th save of the season.

The Sooners (41-21) and Hokies (44-13) meet again at 11 a.m. CT Saturday. OU needs one win to advance to the College World Series.

Oklahoma jumped out on top in the first inning on an RBI single by Blake Robertson that scored John Spikerman. OU made it a 3-0 lead in the second on consecutive RBI singles by Kendall Pettis and Spikerman. In the fifth, back-to-back two-out hits by Brett Squires and Pettis extended the lead to 5-0.

Virginia Tech scored in the sixth and seventh innings on two-run home runs by Carson Jones in the sixth and Jack Hurley in the seventh.

Bennett tossed five shutout innings to start the game, stranding two runners in the third inning, and then two leadoff singles in the fifth with a pair of strikeouts. Michael retired all six batters he faced. Spikerman made a diving catch in right field to record the final out of the game.