Oklahoma Drops Second Consecutive Conference Series in Tight Battle with Tide

Sooners unable to capitalize on opportunities, lose 3-2 to Alabama in series finale

Apr. 5, 2026 at 1:10am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Oklahoma Sooners baseball team dropped their second consecutive conference series, falling 3-2 to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the rubber match of their weekend series. Despite strong pitching performances, the Sooners struggled to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, leaving the door open for Alabama to secure the series victory.

Why it matters

This loss marks the second straight conference series defeat for the Sooners, who had previously won their first two conference series against Texas A&M and LSU. The inability to win conference series could hurt Oklahoma's chances of securing a high seed in the postseason, making this a critical setback in their quest to return to the College World Series.

The details

Oklahoma starting pitcher Trent Collier ran into early trouble, allowing two runs in the first inning on a wild pitch and a passed ball. The Sooners responded with a run in the fourth, but Alabama added another run in the fifth to make it 3-1. Oklahoma threatened in the fifth, scoring a run on a fielder's choice, but they were unable to complete the comeback, falling 3-2 to the Crimson Tide.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • Oklahoma had previously won their first two conference series against Texas A&M and LSU.

The players

Trent Collier

The left-handed starting pitcher for Oklahoma, who had a 1.93 ERA entering the game.

Cord Rager

The typical day three starter for Oklahoma, who sat out the game due to lat tenderness.

Skip Johnson

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team.

Trey Gambill

An Oklahoma player who scored a run for the Sooners.

Brenden Brock

An Oklahoma player who drove in a run for the Sooners.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'I thought we gave that game away for sure. We've got to keep the ball in front of us. We've got to play fundamental baseball. We beat ourselves in that inning.'”

— Skip Johnson, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners

“'Early in the year, we're getting two-out hits. Now, we haven't got a two-out hit in a while. So, that goes back to having confidence, that goes back to trying too hard. You've got to deal with it and keep playing.'”

— Skip Johnson, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners

What’s next

The Sooners will head back on the road for a Monday clash against Dallas Baptist at 6:30 p.m. Afterwards, OU will take on Vanderbilt in Nashville for a weekend series beginning Thursday, April 9 at 6 p.m.

The takeaway

This series loss highlights the challenges the Oklahoma Sooners are facing in conference play, as they have now dropped two straight series after winning their first two. The team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities proved costly, and they will need to regroup quickly to avoid falling further behind in the conference standings.