College World Series: Ryan Sluder's Diving Catch Was Play of Game in OSU's Win

<p>OSU center fielder Ryan Sluder made one of the best defensive plays of the college baseball season in the Cowboys' 1-0 win over Arizona on Monday night. </p>

Tuesday, June 21st 2016, 2:21 pm

By: Brett Coppenbarger

College World Series: Ryan Sluder's Diving Catch Was Play of Game in OSU's Win

There's no hotter team in college baseball right now than the Oklahoma State Cowboys, as the Pokes are undefeated since the start of the NCAA Tournament and are coming off two straight 1-0 wins in the College World Series.

When a team wins two games by such a narrow margin, it comes down to the little things that helped get the job done. One example of that for the Cowboys came in the bottom of the first inning when Arizona's Cody Ramer stepped up to bat. Ramer smoked a deep ball to center field, where OSU's Ryan Sluder's made one of the best catches of the college baseball season.

Sluder ran full steam towards the outfield wall at TD Ameritrade Park before sprawling out for a beautiful diving catch. You can see the play below:

Half man... Half amazing!

Oklahoma State's Ryan Sluder makes an absolutely BONKERS catch! #SCTop10 https://t.co/DfqzPYE0V4
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 21, 2016

Everyone was talking about this catch by Ok St CF Ryan Sluder: https://t.co/04TwFOLv3H
(photo by @_megan_farmer) pic.twitter.com/HVCfdvFSS1
— Jon Nyatawa (@JonNyatawa) June 21, 2016

?? #SCTop10 ALERT ??

Oklahoma State CF Ryan Sluder goes all Superman to make an INCREDIBLE catch! #CWS pic.twitter.com/nJgpjwikXS
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 21, 2016

If Sluder wouldn't have made the incredible grab, the Wildcats would've started the game with an extra base hit with no outs, and who knows what could've happened at that point.

Despite making the play of the game, Sluder was humble when talking with reporters after the game.

"Honestly just trying to get a good read and just sometimes that happens," Sluder said. "You've got to extend to get a ball. And fell in my glove. That's all I've got to say. Just happens, man. It's instinct."

Arizona head coach Jay Johnson was far less subtle about the greatness of the play.

"That play on Cody's ball in the first inning center fielder that's as good as it gets," Johnson said. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to go home and watch it on SportsCenter tonight, I'm sure. He's standing at third base, no outs, and Zach and Ryan coming up were going to score in the first inning."

Take the maximum effort from the OSU defense, and mix it with the Pokes' timely hitting and elite pitching, and you have yourself a team that's only one win away from next week's best-of-3 championship series.

Cowboys will take the field again on Friday when they play the winner of Arizona and UC Santa Barbara.

Everyone was talking about this catch by Ok St CF Ryan Sluder: https://t.co/04TwFOLv3H
(photo by @_megan_farmer) pic.twitter.com/HVCfdvFSS1
— Jon Nyatawa (@JonNyatawa) June 21, 2016

?? #SCTop10 ALERT ??

Oklahoma State CF Ryan Sluder goes all Superman to make an INCREDIBLE catch! #CWS pic.twitter.com/nJgpjwikXS
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 21, 2016

If Sluder wouldn't have made the incredible grab, the Wildcats would've started the game with an extra base hit with no outs, and who knows what could've happened at that point.

Despite making the play of the game, Sluder was humble when talking with reporters after the game.

Arizona head coach Jay Johnson was far less subtle about the greatness of the play.

Cowboys will take the field again on Friday when they play the winner of Arizona and UC Santa Barbara.

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OSU center fielder Ryan Sluder made one of the best defensive plays of the college baseball season in the Cowboys' 1-0 win over Arizona on Monday night.

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