LJ Mercurius’ precocious schoolhouse manager remembers his clip coaching the pitcher who is present connected apical of the assemblage shot world.
“LJ was simply a large kid to person successful our program,” Faith Lutheran coach, Dave Anderson said. “He showed up each time acceptable to work. What I appreciated astir was that helium was ever himself, genuine, dependable and comfy successful his ain skin.
“He was ne'er shy, and the lights were ne'er excessively agleam for him. LJ ever delivered a dependable show and gave america a accidental to win.”
Brothers LJ and Xander Mercurius, erstwhile Faith Lutheran, Durango and UNLV standouts, helped Oklahoma decision North Carolina successful the College World Series finals Monday night, capping a travel that began successful Southern Nevada and ended with a nationalist title.
The brace took antithetic paths to OU. Xander starred astatine Durango High School, wherever helium earned Nevada 4A Player of the Year honors arsenic a elder and helped pb the Trailblazers to a authorities title arsenic a junior.
Meanwhile, LJ played astatine Faith Lutheran earlier spending 2 seasons astatine UNLV and transferring to Oklahoma up of the 2026 season.
“He near a affirmative people connected our team, and I americium grateful for the clip I had the accidental to manager him,” Anderson said. “I’m truthful arrogant of LJ and Xander and implicit the satellite for his parents.”
Both brothers made their debuts with the Sooners this year, with Xander joining the programme arsenic a freshman and LJ arriving from UNLV.
Across 4 appearances successful the College World Series, LJ threw 12⅔ innings, allowing 2 runs connected 8 hits portion striking retired 11 batters.
LJ provided 1 of the astir important outings of Oklahoma’s postseason tally successful the championship-clinching victory, tossing 5⅔ innings successful alleviation aft replacing starter Nick Weloski.
Xander made 2 starts during the College World Series and totaled 11⅓ innings, earning a triumph and signaling 9 strikeouts successful Oklahoma’s Game 1 triumph implicit No. 3 Georgia.
“The biggest happening I’ve seen implicit my 3 years of assemblage truthful acold is that teams person 2 choices, you either divided isolated oregon you travel unneurotic erstwhile things aren’t going well,” LJ said. “We came unneurotic done our faith, and that helped propel america to beryllium successful.”
Xander finished the play with the astir strikeouts among starting pitchers successful the College World Series, portion LJ ranked 2nd among relievers.
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