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Oklahoma baseball: Peyton Graham finalist as nation’s top shortstop

By Chip Rouse

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 05: Kendall Pettis #7 of the Oklahoma Sooners comes up short after diving for a line drive in the third inning as Tanner Treadaway #10 backs him up against the UCLA Bruins during the Shriners Children's College Classic at Minute Maid Park on March 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 05: Kendall Pettis #7 of the Oklahoma Sooners comes up short after diving for a line drive in the third inning as Tanner Treadaway #10 backs him up against the UCLA Bruins during the Shriners Children's College Classic at Minute Maid Park on March 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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The Oklahoma baseball team is back in the NCAA postseason after a four-year absence.

The Big 12 Tournament champions have fashioned a 10-win improvement over last season and a major contributor to that turnaround has been the play of their talented redshirt-sophomore shortstop Peyton Graham.

A First-Team All-Big 12 selection this season, Graham’s on-field accomplishments this season are also being recognized nationally. The Sooner shortstop is one of six finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, which recognizes the country’s most outstanding player at that position.

Graham is also a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which goes to the best amateur baseball player in the United States.

A Texas native from Waxahachie, a town about 30 miles south of Dallas, Graham has been a major cog in the Sooner offense, particularly in the second half of the season, during which OU has won 10 of its last 13 games. In 28 games since April 12, Graham has batted .371 with 36 RBI and 39 runs scored.

For the season, the Sooner shortstop is hitting .338 and he leads Oklahoma with 16 home runs, 60 RBI and 65 runs scored along with 30 stolen bases.

The other finalists for the 2022 Brooks Wallace Award are Danny DiGeorgio from Rutgers, Tommy Sacco of TCU, Taylor Young of Louisiana Tech, Tanner Schobel of Virginia Tech and Brooks Lee from Cal Poly.

The award is named after former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. He died from leukemia at the age of 27.

Graham and the Sooners are in action this weekend, playing in the Gainesville Regional of the NCAA Baseball Championship.

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