OMAHA, Neb. - All good things must come to an end. And with that the curtains closed on Oklahoma's season Sunday afternoon at Charles Schwab Field.

A team picked sixth in the preseason in its own conference ended the year as one of the two teams left playing college baseball. A few runs too short. Two wins shy of a title. One helluva ride.

The thing that makes it hurt the most for Oklahoma. It was all there.

Cade Horton did everything he could. When he struck out Hayden Dunhurst to start the 8th bringing his total to 13, he set a new career high and set a new bar for a finals performance. The most by a pitcher in a Championship game at the MCWS ever, Oklahoma seemed poised to force a winner-take-all Monday if-necessary game.

They lead 2-1. And Trevin Michael entered to record the final five outs. A dance Skip Johnson and Oklahoma had asked of him time and time again throughout the postseason. Then the meltdown began.

Justin Bench singled through the right side with TJ McCants in motion on the pitch. Jacob Gonzalez tied the game with a single scoring McCants. Two wild pitches later Ole Miss had scored three in the inning and Oklahoma stared at its season coming to an end, down to their final three outs.

The wrestling of emotions and the rollercoaster of momentum in this sport is hard to quantify. Particularly in this ballpark. In this city. In this setting. A place where dreams are made can also be the catalyst of nightmares that Sooners fans will hold for a long time to come.

"We fought our butts off all day long, and Cade was outstanding. Take the momentum of the game in that one inning, kind of got taken away from us," said Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson.

"I think that us losing the momentum in the game really cost us, and I wouldn't want anybody behind the plate other than Jimmy Crooks or Trevin to close the game. Cade was at the end of his rope, and he wanted to keep going, and I've got to look out for him and his future."

With runners on the corners in the sixth John Spikerman laid down a bunt that was corralled by Hunter Elliott. His throw wasn't able to be handled by Tim Elko at first and for a second it looked like chaos had returned. Mike Bianco jumped out of the Ole Miss dugout and challenged the play on the field. Interference was ruled on Spikerman and the play was overturned. The run was wiped off the board. Two pitches later Peyton Graham flied out to end the inning

A crushing blow to what could have been the turning point in not just the game but the series.

"Yeah, I mean, running the runners' lane, that's maybe what the call was, and they had to go back to the other bases because it kills it right there," said Johnson about the controversial call that deflated the Sooners sixth

"I think the biggest thing that I want to explain to that deal is the umpires are going to -- if we take out the human element of the umpires, this game is not ever going to be any good. If we continue to do those things and put a computer or whatever they want to do, it's going to continue to be good."

"That's the interpretation of the rule, they have a runner's lane there, and if we mess with the fabric of the game by getting computer umpires, I think I'll just go fishing."

In a span of five minutes Oklahoma went from taking a 1-0 lead and threatening for more to watching Jacob Gonzalez hitting a solo home run to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.

Momentum of the game can be hard to understand. Skip would remind you the game doesn't care how you feel.

Then Oklahoma responded. A final gasp in the top of the seventh. Jimmy Crooks started the rally with a two out double. Wallace Clark walked. And Jackson Nicklaus tied the game with a double of his own just out of the reach of Ole Miss shortstop Jacob Gonzalez. Sebastian Orduno was hit by a pitch. Kendall Pettis drew a four pitch walk. And Oklahoma led 2-1.

The kind of fight Skip Johnson's team been displayed all season. The kind of fight that made the way this season ends even more hard to fathom.

"Well, I mean, they're going to fight. That's one thing that they've done all year long. They've fought and they've fought and they've fought and they've battled and battled. That's a part of their DNA, and that's a part of what the University of Oklahoma has taught them to do and our culture has taught them how to do," said Johnson.

"I'm really proud of those guys."

And so should a Sooner fanbase that rediscovered a love for the other diamond sport in Norman.

Graham, Tredaway & Horton named to All-Tournament Team

Peyton Graham, Tanner Tredaway and Cade Horton were named to the MCWS All-Tournament team. Graham hit .340 in the NCAA Tournament with 16 hits and team-high four home runs. Tredaway hit .333 in Omaha with five RBIs. Horton struck out 24 in 13.1 innings.

He is just the fourth pitcher since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1999 with multiple starts of 10 strikeouts at the College World Series joining Alex Faedo (Florida 2017), Trever Bauer (UCLA 2010) and Jason Windsor (CSU Fullerton 2004).