Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Texas Tech on February 13, 2026 at 11 a.m.
11 a.m.
Baseball
vs Texas Tech
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Friday, February 16
Arlington, Texas
3 p.m.
University of Oklahoma
vs
Oregon
Photo by: Justin Kaplan
Baseball Opens 2024 in Arlington
February 15, 2024 | Baseball
Oklahoma
Shriners Children's College Showdown
Feb. 16-18 / Arlington, Texas / Globe Life Field
FIRST PITCH
• Oklahoma opens the 2024 season at Globe Life Field this weekend in Arlington, Texas, as the Sooners take part in the fourth annual Shriners Children's College Showdown presented by Kubota. The Sooners will meet Oregon for the season opener Friday at 3 p.m. CT before a matchup vs. No. 9/8/8/5/11 Tennessee at 7 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. matchup vs. Nebraska on Sunday to close the weekend.
• All of the weekend action will be streamed via FloBaseball (subscription required).
• The games will be broadcast locally on Sportstalk 99.3 FM/1400 AM KREF. OU play-by-play announcer Toby Rowland will handle radio duties Friday and Sunday, while Josh Helmer will call Saturday's game. Ross Hubbard will serve as the color analyst for all three matchups.
• Live stats can be found at OUStats.com.
• Season and single-game tickets for home games at L. Dale Mitchell Park are available for purchase via SoonerSports.com/tickets.
LEADING OFF
• Oklahoma is playing four games in five days to begin the 2024 season. Following this weekend's three-game set at Globe Life Field, the Sooners will play at Dallas Baptist Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, OU will play eight games over the next 10 days, opening the home slate next weekend at L. Dale Mitchell Park with a four-game series vs. Wright State.
• Oklahoma is in its seventh season under the direction of head coach Skip Johnson (including the 2020 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Johnson, who spent the 2017 season on staff as an assistant coach, has led the Sooners to a 189-132 record, three NCAA Tournament appearances, the 2022 Big 12 tournament championship and the 2022 College World Series finals since taking over as head coach prior to the 2018 season.
• The Sooners return 13 letterwinners from the 2023 squad and brought in 26 newcomers for the 2024 season.
• Oklahoma finished the 2023 season by making its 40th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, playing in the NCAA Charlottesville Regional.
• The Sooners ended the 2023 season with a 32-28 record and an 11-13 mark in Big 12 Conference play.
SERIES HISTORY
• Oregon: The Sooners and Ducks will meet for just the second time in program history on Friday. The first meeting between the schools came in 2012, a 3-2 OU victory in Eugene, Ore.
• Tennessee: OU leads the all-time series over the Vols, 2-1. The first matchup between the teams was monumental in the history of Oklahoma baseball as the Sooners beat the Volunteers in the 1951 College World Series finals to claim the program's first national title. The second meeting between the schools came in 2008 in Houston, a 2-0 Oklahoma win. Most recently, Tennessee took a 8-0 victory over the Sooners in 2022 at the Shriners Children's College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
• Nebraska: Former conference foes meet Sunday morning as the Sooners and Huskers history goes back to their first meetings in 1962. OU leads the all-time series 117-94-1. Sunday's matchup will be the first between the teams since a two-game series in Norman in 2011 that saw the Sooners sweep the Huskers, 9-2 and 4-1.
OPENING DAY NOTES
• Since 1962, Oklahoma is 41-21 on opening day and is 11-4 in its last 15 season openers. The Sooners are 30-4 in home season openers since 1962, including a 26-3 mark at L. Dale Mitchell Park, which opened in 1982.
• This is the fourth time in Skip Johnson's tenure as head coach (since 2018) the Sooners will open the season at a neutral site. OU is 2-1 in such openers: won 6-3 vs. Indiana at Conway, S.C. in 2018; lost 6-0 vs. Virginia at Pensacola, Fla., in 2020; won 3-0 vs. Auburn at Arlington, Texas in 2022.
OPENING DAY STARTERS
• Transfer junior left-hander Braden Davis will start on the mound for the Sooners to open the 20234season. He will be just the second left-handed pitcher in the last 10 seasons to start opening day for OU.
Opening Day Starters Since 2012
- Year, Starter, Class, R/L, Decision – Opponent
- 2023, Kale Davis, R-Jr., RHP, Win – Cal Baptist
- 2022, Jake Bennett, So., LHP, ND – Auburn
- 2021, Wyatt Olds, Jr., RHP, ND – Omaha
- 2020, Cade Cavalli, Jr., RHP, Loss – Virginia
- 2019, Cade Cavalli, So., RHP, ND – Cal Poly
- 2018, Jake Irvin, Jr., RHP, Win – Indiana
- 2017, Jake Irvin, So., RHP, Win – Long Beach State
- 2016, Jake Elliott, Jr., RHP, ND – Northeastern
- 2015, Jake Elliott, So., RHP, Win – Notre Dame
- 2014, Jacob Evans, So., LHP, Loss – Seton Hall
- 2013, Dillon Overton, Jr., LHP, Win – Hofstra
- 2012, Dillon Overton, So., LHP, ND – Pepperdine
BIG LEAGUE BALLPARKS
• This is the sixth straight season in which Oklahoma will play at least one game in a Major League Ballpark. OU will play in this weekend's Shriners Children's College Showdown, and in the Big 12 Championship at the Texas Rangers' ballpark again later this season. The Sooners played four games at Globe Life Field in 2023 after a program-high 16 games in big league ballparks in 2022 — the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field (Feb. 18-20), a three-game set vs. Northwestern State at Globe Life Field (Feb. 25-27), the Shriners Children's College Classic at the Houston Astros' Minute Maid Park (March 4-6), a series against Texas at Globe Life Field (April 1-3) and the Big 12 Championship at Globe Life Field. The Sooners played two games at Globe Life Field in 2021, three at Minute Maid Park in 2020 (Shriners College Classic) and one contest against Minnesota at Target Field in Minneapolis (2019).
• Since 2019, OU is a combined 14-12 in games played at MLB ballparks (11-8 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, 2-4 at Minute Maid Park in Houston and 1-0 at Target Field in Minneapolis). The Sooners were 9-7 in games played at Major League ballparks in 2022 (9-4 at Globe Life Field, 0-3 at Minute Maid Park).
MADRON RECEIVES PRESEASON HONORS
• Senior outfielder Bryce Madron was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 baseball team
• Madron, who earned honorable mention All-Big 12 last season, played in all 60 games and batted .320 with team highs of 12 home runs, 15 doubles, 51 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 61 walks. The former junior college transfer also led the squad with his .580 slugging percentage and .476 on-base percentage. He added three triples and 16 stolen bases while notching 70 hits.
• The Blanchard, Okla., product paced the Sooners with 21 multiple-hit games and registered multiple RBIs in 10 contests. In his last 40 games of the 2023 campaign, Madron hit .379 while recording 58 hits, 43 RBIs, 10 home runs, 12 doubles and 41 runs. He ended the season by reaching base in 20 consecutive contests.
#CHAOUS
• The Sooners registered 114 stolen bases in 148 attempts (77%) last season. In 2022, OU registered 145 steals, the most by an Oklahoma club since 1989 (168 steals). 2023 marked the first time since the 1985 through '89 seasons OU has totaled at least 100 steals in consecutive campaigns.
• John Spikerman and Anthony Mackenzie led OU and ranked in the top 10 in the Big 12 with their 27 and 21 steals, respectively. Kendall Pettis (17 steals) and Bryce Madron (15 steals) also had double-digit bags. Twelve players stole at least one base last season, five players had at least nine steals and nine players notched at least four stolen bases.
• On 12 occasions, an OU player stole at least two bases in a game. Oklahoma registered a season-high eight steals against Rider on Feb. 25 and stole at least three bases in 17 games last season.
• OU's recent mantra '#CHAOUS' is not only about just stealing bases, but also about being aggressive on offense and putting pressure on the defense. While Oklahoma ranked 19th nationally in steals (114) and 26th in steals per game (1.9), it also ranked 11th nationally in walks (350) and batters have been hit by a pitch 74 times. The Sooners also have 24 sacrifice bunts and 39 sacrifice flies (which ranked T6th in the country). OU opponents committed 65 errors (.971 fielding percentage).
ROSTER OUTLOOK
• The Sooners return plenty of production, including key pieces in Jackson Nicklaus (INF, Jr.), Kendall Pettis (OF, R-Sr.) and John Spikerman (OF, Jr.) that were a part of the team's 2022 CWS run, along with 2023 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention outfielder Bryce Madron.
• In addition to the veteran leadership, Oklahoma returns Anthony Mackenzie (INF, Sr.) Easton Carmichael (C, So.), Rocco Garza-Gongora (INF/OF, So.) and Patrick Engskov (IF, So.) who all have starting experience from a season ago.
• HC Skip Johnson and staff hit the portal hard this offseason to add a plethora of talent across the field and in the bullpen for 2024.
• There is significant buzz around true freshman Jaxon Willits, son of assistant coach and OU alum Reggie Willits, who looks to bring power at the plate and take over at shortstop for the Sooners following the departure of Dakota Harris to the MLB Draft in 2023.
• Big-hitter transfers in 6-4, 227 pound Carter Frederick (Snead State College) and fifth-year senior Michael Snyder (Washington) are primed to add more power numbers to the Sooners already dynamic lineup.
• OU's starting rotation will feature plenty of fresh faces in 2024 as the only returning weekend starter from a season ago is senior LHP James Hitt. Transfer lefty from Sam Houston State, Braden Davis, gets the opening day nod this weekend prior to transfer righty Brendan Girton from Texas Tech getting the ball on Saturday.
• Plenty other names will look to rise to the occasion including JUCO second-year right-handed senior Will Carsten, true freshman righty Jacob Gholston, a pair of Wichita State transfers in LHP Jace Miner and RHP Austin Henry, as well as transfer sophomore twins from NW Florida State College, Kyson and Malachi Witherspoon.
• Left-hander Carter Campbell returns to lead the bullpen arms, as well as Carson Atwood and Jett Lodes, among others.
L. DALE MITCHELL PARK EXPANSION PROJECT
• The Oklahoma baseball facility enhancement project will transform the look of the ballpark from both the interior bowl and the exterior of the stadium. New locker rooms, training areas, coaches offices and team meeting areas combined with chairback seating, terraced berms and additional awnings and concourses will provide a first-class facility for fans and student-athletes. In addition, a new, state-of-the-art performance and player development center will be added. A new entry to the team areas will include a Champions Lobby, displaying the success and tradition of the Oklahoma baseball program.
• More than 35,000 in square-foot-space of new areas benefiting student-athlete performance and recovery including a robust medical services area, weight room and sports science to centralize student-athlete training at the baseball field.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.
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/ BaseballJohnson and Carmichael Postgame vs North Carolina
Monday, June 02
BB Highlights: OU 9, UNC 5
Monday, June 02
Johnson, Dickerson, Willits Postgame vs North Carolina
Sunday, June 01
BB Highlights: OU 17, Nebraska 1
Sunday, June 01
