Sooners get on roll early, beat Aggies 13-8 in the CWS opener

Jackson Nicklaus hit a grand slam, Jake Bennett pitched six strong innings and Oklahoma jumped on Texas A&M early in a 13-8 win in the College World Series opener Friday in Omaha, Neb.

The Sooners scored seven runs with two outs in the second inning to lead 8-0 and then turned back the Aggies' comeback bids in the highest-scoring CWS game since 2008.

The Sooners (43-22), making their first appearance in Omaha since 2010, will play Sunday against the winner of the Notre Dame-Texas game Friday night. Texas A&M (42-19) will play the loser of that game.

Oklahoma won a week after the school's softball team earned its second straight Women's College World Series championship.

Texas A&M has lost nine straight CWS games over five appearances since they beat Kansas in 1993.

Aggies starter Nathan Dettmer lasted just 1 2/3 innings for his second-shortest outing of the season. He left with his team down 5-0 after giving up four hits and three walks and hitting a batter.

Dettmer (5-3), who hasn't made it past the fifth inning since April, has allowed 30 earned runs in his last 24 2/3 innings (10.95 ERA).

Joseph Menefee took over for Dettmer, and Jimmy Crooks drove his second offering into the right-field bullpen for his eighth homer and an 8-0 lead.

Six Texas A&M pitchers combined to walk 10, hit three batters and strike out 12.

Oklahoma loaded the bases in the fourth on a bunt single, throwing error and walk before Nicklaus's grand slam made it 12-3.

The Aggies got homers from Jordan Thompson and Austin Bost, and they were within four runs in the seventh after three straight RBI singles and a run-scoring groundout.

The teams' four homers tied the Charles Schwab Field record.

Bennett (10-3), who allowed five hits and four earned runs, retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced.

It was the teams' first meeting since Texas A&M left the Big 12 after the 2012 season.