OU baseball big movers in polls, Sun Devils on deck

OU baseball is one of the big movers in the latest Top 25 polls released on Monday. 

Following a weekend in which OU outscored Coppin State 57-1 in a three game sweep, the Sooners moved up eight spots in the latest D1Baseball Top 25 to No. 13. Oklahoma checks in at No. 10 in Baseball America, No. 12 in Perfect Game and No. 13 and No. 14 in the NCBWA Top 25 and USA Today Top 25. 

In short? The weekend’s affairs against Coppin State were one-sided. Like extremely one-sided. OU has now scored double digits in a program-record seven consecutive games. They drew 44 walks in the series. Baserunners were aplenty. But even with that said, OU head coach Skip Johnson thought they took another step in the second weekend of the season.  

“We scored a lot of runs. When you score a lot of runs, it’s really hard on the pitchers because they have to really go pitch to pitch. Long innings and they have to sit over here for 20 or 25 minutes. It’s hard for those guys to go out and play good catch and try to be intent. I thought all three of them did a good job of that and the bullpen was good,” said Johnson following his squad’s third run-rule of the weekend Sunday.  

The Sooners offense is batting .359 with 29 extra base hits. Over the weekend against Coppin State, Oklahoma recorded 13 extra base hits and three home runs. 

In the Sunday finale, Trey Gambill and Camden Johnson each stole four bases apiece before exiting the game in the fourth inning, falling one shy of a program record (5) set in 1996. 

SOONERS OFFENSE IS BUZZING 

You’d have to really be a miserable, nit-picky kinda operator to find anything bad from the Sooners torrid start to the 2026 campaign. 

Wichita State transfer Camden Johnson is hitting .450. Deiten Lachance has recorded a hit in every game he’s played, running his hit streak up to six games with a fourth-inning RBI single on Sunday. Brendan Brock is one of eight hitters in the line up hitting over .400. 

Jaxon Willits along with Lachance and Brock have each driven in 10+ RBIs through the Sooners first seven games. 

There’s signs of depth past the everyday starting eight position players that Oklahoma hasn’t had the luxury of in years past. 

“That’s the thing I was really more proud of them with going into last weekend and then this weekend we got some guys some at-bats for guys that we need,” Johnson said. “We got some guys in position in case we need it if somebody goes down. You never know.

“I thought we really did a good job all weekend and then when their number was called, they had some really good at bats and played some really good defense. The double play we turned in the sixth inning was a high-level double play. That was really good to see.” 

DEPTH OFF THE BENCH

Drew Dickerson homered Friday and Saturday for OU. Dasan Harris is currently hitting .500 with four hits in eight at bats, drawing six walks and responsible for six runs. You go up and down the lineup and the depth shows. Cayden Brumbaugh and Uriah Walters have made the most of their opportunity. Freshman first baseman Connor Larkin has walked four times 

While, yes, it’s early, these are all good signs and even better a great starting point as the calendar turns to March. 

“It just means we’re never out of a game. We can score runs in several different ways, either running bases or running a ball out of the yard. I think that gives them some confidence. But more than anything just getting on base. Separating balls from strikes when you’re facing a guy that is wild. Sometimes you can get impatient and you want to get hits instead of playing baseball by getting on base and taking a walk when you have to, which is really good to see,” said Johnson. 

NEXT UP

Oklahoma welcomes Arizona State for a midweek two-game series starting Tuesday (4 p.m.) at Kimrey Family Stadium. 

The Sun Devils (7-0) head to Norman following a weekend sweep of St. John’s, outscoring the Red Storm 28-8 over the three game set. Willie Bloomquist’s club was picked No. 4 in the Big 12 preseason poll, holding the Johnnies to a .191 team batting average over the three-game series in Tempe. 

Off to its best start since 2019, Arizona State’s next four opponents are all ranked SEC teams: No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 4 Mississippi State, No. 20 Tennessee and No. 23 Texas A&M. 

Oklahoma is slated to throw sophomore RHP Michael Catalano in the series opener Tuesday. Catalano made 22 appearances during his freshman season, striking out 35 with just nine walks. He’s made one appearance this season, throwing 2.2 innings vs. Oklahoma State allowing a hit, walking one and striking out four.