OU Falls in Opener at Auburn

Friday, April 24

Auburn, AL

6 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

28-13, 10-9

Auburn

29-12, 11-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	1	0	4	9	2
Auburn	2	1	0	2	0	0	1	0	X	6	11	1

April 24, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Final Stats

AUBURN, Ala. — No. 14 Oklahoma dropped the series opener at No. 11 Auburn Friday night by a final of 6-4.

The Sooners (28-13, 10-9 SEC) battled back from an early three-run deficit to cut the lead to one run in the fourth inning but the Tigers (29-12, 11-8) were able to push the lead back to three before winning the contest by a pair.

In the first, a pair of solo home runs from Auburn allowed the home team to jump out to a 2-0 lead before a single in the second moved the deficit to three.

To the fourth, an RBI double from Brendan Brock and run-scoring single from Deiten Lachance brought the Sooners within one. The Tigers got both runs back in the fourth on a two-run home run.

In the seventh, the teams exchanged single runs with OU scoring on an RBI single from Jason Walk, his third game with an RBI in OU's last five games.

To the eighth, Lachance singled home Camden Johnson on a hit off the left field wall to bring the final to 6-4. It was his fifth straight game with an RBI.

OU starting right-handed pitcher LJ Mercurius took his fifth loss of the season, going three innings and surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks to go with two strikeouts. The OU bullpen held the Tigers to one run the final four innings, highlighted by a pair of scoreless, hitless innings from LHP Nate Smithburg with two strikeouts.

The teams meet for game two on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

Pitchers of Record

Win: Andreas Alvarez (7-2)
Loss: LJ Mercurius (6-5)
Save: Jackson Sanders (2)

Statistical Snapshot

Deiten Lachance | 2-for-4, 2 RBI
Jason Walk | 2-for-5, 1 RBI
Brendan Brock | 1-for-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI
LJ Mercurius | 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Nate Smithburg | 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Notes

OU fell to 28-13 on the year, 10-9 in SEC play and 6-7 on the road.
The contest was OU's first game played at Plainsman Park. The all-time series moved to 6-2 in OU's favor.
Deiten Lachance recorded his 11th multi-hit game of the season. Jason Walk registered his seventh.
Lachance has an RBI in five straight games and eight of OU's last nine. Walk has brought home a run in three of five games.

Up Next

The teams continue the series Saturday with a 6 p.m. CT game two. The series can be seen via SECN+ and heard on the radio via The REF 99.3/1400 AM.

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