Oklahoma had seen Eddie Degerman before, and the second time around went better for the Sooners. After being limited to one hit by the Owl ace in February, they recorded six base hits in tonight's game and scored four runs in the 6 2/3 innings that Degerman was on the mound. Despite allowing four runs, Degerman recorded his 13th victory of the season against a single loss. He also set the Conference USA single season strikeout mark with 158 on the season, moving within six of Wade Townsend's three-year old Rice record.

The Sooner pitchers were no match for the Owl bats on a warm Houston evening. Steven Guerra dropped to 11-4 on the season after allowing six runs over 1 2/3 innings, while four of the five relievers for Oklahoma were touched up for runs. Rice pounded four homers during the game, with Brian Friday and Josh Rodriguez teeing off in the four-run first while Aaron Luna and Danny Lehmann added seventh inning blasts. Friday added a sacrifice fly to lead the club with four RBI while Greg Buchanan recorded four hits in his five trips to the plate.

The game was witnessed by the fourth largest crowd in Reckling Park history, as 4,975 were packed into the stadium. Tonight's crowd brings the season total to 123,734 fans, the best season in the stadium's seven-year history.

Rice is one victory away from winning their fourth super regional and advancing to their fifth College World Series in the last ten years. Oklahoma still needs two victories to advance to their first College World Series since 1995.

In the eight years since the super regionals were added to the NCAA tournament, 48 out of 59 schools that won the first game have gone on to advance to Omaha. Three of the exceptions have involved Rice, who advanced to the CWS in 1999 and 2003 after losing the first game before losing to Tulane in 2005 after winning game one.

Bobby Bell (8-0, 3.67) will start for the Owls tomorrow afternoon, while Oklahoma will counter with Daniel McCutchen (9-8, 4.00). After losing the regional opener to TCU, McCutchen picked up the victory in relief for the Sooners in Monday's regional championship game against Wichita State. Bell also pitched in relief during the regionals, winning for the Owls in the opener against Prairie View.