Sooners Host Zags in Norman

Friday, February 27

4 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

Gonzaga

Tickets From $10 - $15

February 26, 2026 | Baseball

Tickets Watch Listen Game Day Info

NORMAN – No. 13 Oklahoma continues its homestand with a three-game series vs. Gonzaga (2-5) this weekend in Norman. First pitch for Friday's opener is set for 4 p.m. CT before a 2 p.m. Saturday matchup and 1 p.m. Sunday finale.

The series can be seen on SECN+ and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM The REF with Chad McKee, Rich Hills, Blake Brewester and Josh Helmer calling the action throughout the weekend.

The Sooners (8-1) are coming off a 4-3 walk-off win Wednesday night over previously unbeaten Arizona State to split the midweek series vs. the Sun Devils.

Oklahoma made a surge in the ranks this week, vaulting to No. 13 in the D1Baseball Top 25 and ranking as high as No. 10 (Baseball America) across the five major polls.

OU's national attention comes after a dominant start to the season and an opening weekend that saw the team take the crown at the Shriners Children's College Baseball Showdown, beating Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and No. 10 TCU to win the tournament, outscoring the opposition 32-6.

On the season, OU is outscoring opponents 106-31 and the pitching staff has a team ERA of 3.68 with 98 strikeouts to 40 walks.

The Sooners started the season with a program-record seven straight games scoring double digits.

Projected Pitching Matchups: FRI: OU LHP Cameron Johnson (2-0, 1.64 ERA) vs. GU RHP Finbar O'Brien (0-0, 5.40 ERA); SAT OU RHP LJ Mercurius (2-0, 0.87 ERA) vs. GU Erik Hoffberg (1-1, 2.25 ERA); SUN: OU LHP Cord Rager (2-0, 0.90 ERA) vs. GU LHP Karsten Sweum (0-1, 5.59 ERA)

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY'S THRILLER

• After ASU handed the Sooners their first loss of the season on Tuesday, OU returned the favor with a 4-3 walk-off win on Wednesday to knock ASU from the unbeaten ranks.

• Jaxon Willits was the hero in the bottom of the ninth, lacing an RBI double down the left line to plate Kyle Branch for the walk-off win. The rally began with a leadoff triple from Camden Johnson and game-tying double from Deiten Lachance.

• The win over ASU was the program's first victory over the Sun Devils since 2015 and first win over ASU in Norman since 1997 (just the third game played in Norman since '97).

• It was OU's first walk-off win in nine innings since Easton Carmichael's single vs. UTA last season (3/18/25)

• Jaxon Willits' walk-off double was his second career walk-off hit and first since opening weekend of his freshman season (2/18/24 vs. Nebraska). His walk-off single in 2024 was his first collegiate hit.

• OU relievers Bodin, Kadyn Leon and Jackson Cleveland combined for seven innings scoreless with five hits allowed, one walk and eight strikeouts. Jason Bodin's four K's were a career high.

HOT START

• Oklahoma made a loud statement on opening weekend with its Shriners Showdown sweep, highlighted by dominant pitching and a revamped lineup that put up 32 runs across the three Showdown games.

• The pitching staff had a combined 48 strikeouts through the first four games.

• The Sooners continued their stellar start in Norman at the newly-named Kimrey Family Stadium, sweeping a series over Coppin State by a combined score of 57-1 in 21 innings. OU won the opener 22-1 (7) before a 24-0 (7) victory Saturday and 11-0 (7) finale victory.

• Through nine games OU is outscoring the opposition 106-31 (11.7 runs/game). The offense is batting .323 with 35 extra-base hits to opponents' 18.

• The OU pitching staff has 98 strikeouts to 40 walks in the early season.

• OU's weekend rotation of Cameron Johnson, LJ Mercurius and Cord Rager have combined for 52 strikeouts to 12 walks and 4 ER on the year.

• Sixteen Sooners have registered a hit in the early season of 17 that has had a plate appearance.

• Sophomore Camden Johnson paces the team with a .407 batting average. Five Sooners (Johnson, Trey Gambill, Jaxon Willits, Brendan Brock, Deiten Lachance) are batting over .350. Brock, Gambill and sophomore Drew Dickerson lead OU with all three having a pair of home runs. Nine Sooners have combined for 12 blasts.

• Camden Johnson paces the team and ranks second in the country with 11 stolen bags on 11 attempts. OU ranks fifth in the country with 31 on 33 attempts.

• Trey Gambill and Camden Johnson's four stolen bases a piece last Sunday vs. Coppin State were the most since a program-record five by Derek Wathan vs. Kansas State in 1996.

• Camden Johnson ranks sixth in the nation with 17 runs scored and 10th in runs/game, averaging 1.89.

FOR THE FANS

• Happy Hour at the ballpark continues for every home Friday game starting two hours before first pitch up until first pitch featuring $4 16oz. beer while supplies last.

• Season and single game tickets for the 2026 season are available now on SoonerSports.com/tickets. For more information about Oklahoma baseball tickets, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office at 405-325-2424, by email at outickets@ou.edu or by visiting SoonerSports.com/tickets.

• Oklahoma Baseball officially opens the newly-named Kimrey Family Stadium this season after a Board of Regents resolution in the fall of 2025 approved the renaming of L. Dale Mitchell Park in honor of the Kimrey family and their transformational gift to the program. Also approved were numerous renovation projects, including updates to the outfield wall, batter's eye, bullpens, exterior fence and spectator areas beyond the outfield wall.

• Project 2 of the Kimrey Family Stadium Project has officially moved forward, featuring significant expansion and improvements to team facilities, seating bowl upgrades and fan enhancements, including new concessions, restrooms and a dedicated fan plaza.

RANKINGS CHATTER

• After another impressive weekend, the Sooners vaulted in the polls as high as No. 10 in the Baseball America Top 25. D1Baseball put the Sooners at No. 13 Monday, while Perfect Game ranks the team 12th, NCBWA 13th and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll 14th.

• OU is 1-0 in ranked matchups following its takedown of then-No. 10 TCU on Opening Weekend. A season ago, OU went 11-15 in ranked matchups.

UP NEXT

• OU continues its homestand at Kimrey Family Stadium with a midweek matchup vs. Dallas Baptist on Tuesday in Norman. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. Promotions include '$2 Takeover' featuring $2 beer, soda and popcorn while supplies last.

For updates and more information on Oklahoma baseball, follow the Sooners on X and Instagram (@OU_Baseball) and like Oklahoma Baseball on Facebook.