At Men's College World Series, Oklahoma making the most of former Yankee coach's return to alma mater

OMAHA, Neb. — The ball has popped out of the third baseman's glove. John Spikerman doesn't know this, because he's audaciously sprinted from first base to third, and he's just been tagged after a rocket throw from right field. He doesn't know he's about to be part of a seamhead viral video.

Spikerman is a freshman for the Oklahoma baseball team, and he's playing in front of 25,000 people at the Men's College World Series. Up until around Easter, he wasn't even starting. But when you're part of an offense that has «chaos» as its adopted theme, a play like this is collateral damage.

The ball pops out of Notre Dame third baseman Jack Brannigan's glove, bounces off the third base coach and Spikerman drifts off the bag because he believes he's out. Brannigan retrieves the ball and casually tags him on the back.

Spikerman finds assistant coach Reggie Willits, who a year ago was the first base coach for the New York Yankees, in the dugout.

«I love your aggression,» Willits tells him.

Oklahoma is one victory away from the MCWS finals — the Sooners play Arkansas Wednesday in a semifinal (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) — and on the way back from practice Tuesday, the team stopped at the hill where Rosenblatt Stadium, the old championship venue, used to stand. The last time Oklahoma won a national championship, it was held at the 'Blatt. It was 1994.

Willits stayed behind Tuesday afternoon to work in the batting cages with his oldest son, Jaxon, a senior in high school.

Before last fall, when Willits left the Yankees to become a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, he saw Jaxon, an incoming senior, play three or four times.

«It's an adjustment,» Jaxon said. «It's a welcome adjustment. I would say my mom is more relaxed now. She's not as