L.J. Mercurius, a pitcher with Puerto Rican roots, helped the Oklahoma Sooners win their third NCAA Division I baseball championship by defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels 13-2 in the decisive game. Mercurius, a third-year reliever, pitched 5.2 innings and allowed only one run with five strikeouts. He finished the season with a 7-7 record and a 4.43 ERA. His brother Xander, also a pitcher, contributed to the team's success in the NCAA World Series.
Both brothers are sons of a Puerto Rican mother and were born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sooners also have Puerto Rican outfielder Gerardo Prado on their roster, who graduated from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy & High School in Gurabo. L.J. Mercurius appeared in four games in the World Series, pitching 12.2 innings and allowing only two runs. He struck out 11 batters and walked three.
After the victory, Mercurius said that his goal is to make his family proud and that winning with his brother was special. Xander, a freshman starter, started two games in the World Series and had a 1-1 record. Prado had a limited participation in the regular season, with only 11 at-bats and one hit.