Jonah Cox’s hitting streak may be over, but Oral Roberts’ magical ride continues

OMAHA, Neb. — Jonah Cox did not get a hit. And still, Oral Roberts won.

Nothing, it seems, can rattle this team, which has won 24 of 25 games after a four-run, ninth-inning rally Friday in the opening game of the College World Series to beat TCU 6-5.

Cox, the Golden Eagles’ previously unflappable junior center fielder, finished 0-for-5 to snap a 47-game hitting streak that tied for the third longest in Division I history. He appeared uneasy Friday at the plate, putting just one ball in play in his first four at-bats — a double-play grounder to the left side in the first inning.

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But after relying on Cox since February as its most consistent weapon, ORU won without his contributions — and that displayed more about the Golden Eagles than if they’d benefited from another of his big performances.

We knew it would take everybody! #ORUBase | #MCWS

— ORU Baseball (@ORUBaseball) June 16, 2023

“I’m not a huge fan of the spotlight,” Cox said moments after the streak ended. “I think it takes away from a lot of deserving guys on the team. But it’s been a ton of fun.”

This sixth victory in seven NCAA postseason games for the champions of the Summit League made clear, Cox said, that, “Up and down this lineup, we’re pretty stinkin’ good.”

Oral Roberts, 52-12 and set to play Florida or Virginia on Sunday, showed the characteristics and togetherness in the ninth inning that effectively allowed Cox to hit safely in every game since March 14.

“It wasn’t just Jonah’s streak,” ORU coach Ryan Folmar said. “Everybody is a huge part of that.”

Down 5-2 after star closer Cade Denton issued two walks, hit a batter and surrendered a sacrifice fly that unlocked a tie in the bottom of the eighth inning, Oral Roberts sent eight batters to the plate in the ninth. Second baseman Blaze Brothers, batting ninth in the lineup, delivered the big blow, a three-run homer into the left-field bullpen.

In the ninth, five Golden Eagles recorded hits against TCU reliever Luke Savage. The seventh batter of the inning, Justin Quinn, legged out a single on a roller to third base that improbably brought Cox to the plate after he’d fouled out in the eighth inning.

Cox fouled the first two pitches from Garrett Wright, then grounded sharply to Tre Richardson at second base.

Quinn and Folmar, the 11th-year coach, said they weren’t thinking in that moment about creating another opportunity for Cox to extend his streak. But a special kind of team mentality exists in the ORU dugout. The Golden Eagles needed it to beat Oklahoma State in the Stillwater Regional two weeks ago, then to topple Oregon last week on the road in a super regional.

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The same approach shined through Friday during the late rally.

“We have nine guys fighting tooth and nail until that last out is made,” Cox said. “Everybody is fighting for each other. I don’t know if they were fighting for me in that situation or man, if we just really, really wanted to win.”

Denton escaped a two-runner jam in the bottom of the ninth by getting Brayden Taylor on a line drive to Quinn in left field.

In victory, despite the end of his streak, Cox was all smiles.

“Nothing is possible without these guys,” he said.

Cox’s streak equaled the run of Phil Stephenson in 1981 at Wichita State and trailed only the 56-gamer by Garrett Wittels of Florida International in 2010 and 2011 and Robin Ventura’s 58-game streak at Oklahoma State in 1987.

On the MLB level, only Joe DiMaggio in 1941, with his legendary 56-game streak, outnumbered Cox’s college accomplishment.

“Now that it’s over, having a chance to reflect, how special is that?” Folmar said. “It’s unique and special and we’re proud of him. I can’t imagine the pressure he was going through.

“I’m blessed and happy that I had a pretty good seat to watch the thing.”

Cox has recorded hits in 62 of 64 games, his first year at the Division I level after junior college seasons at Butler (Kan.) CC and Eastern Oklahoma State College.

“The coaches at my last two schools — and the coaches here — they’ve changed my life,” Cox said. “I’ll forever be grateful for those guys. I still text and call them every week. They’re not only great men, but they’re great at baseball and what they do.”

Cox’s father Darron played baseball at Oklahoma and was a fifth-round MLB Draft pick of the Reds in 1989. Jonah’s brother Joshua played before him at Oral Roberts.

Jonah’s achievements this season have earned him a different level of recognition. He received second-team All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

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Cox entered the CWS with a .420 batting average, 11 homers and 67 RBIs.

The hitting streak attracted new attention, too, for the baseball program at this private school of approximately 5,000 students in Tulsa. Oral Roberts, a postseason regular, advanced to the College World Series once in its history before this season — a 1-2 stay in Omaha in 1978. It beat North Carolina in the opening round 45 years ago, then lost against Arizona State and Miami.

After Friday, the Golden Eagles are looking for a longer stay next week. They expect Cox, despite his slow start, to again pace the offensive attack.

Folmar said he thinks Cox will play more like himself, starting Sunday, without the weight of the streak.

“He’s had to answer a lot of those questions and carry that pressure,” the coach said. “But it’s over now. He can relax and go play.”

(Photo: Mitch Sherman / The Athletic)