OU Athletics
ARLINGTON, Texas — No. 19/RV Oklahoma opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, beating Texas Tech 10-3 in the first game of the Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown in Arlington.
Junior left-handed pitcher Cameron Johnson went six innings and struck out a career-high 11, allowing just one run on three hits with three walks.
The OU offense was equally impressive, hitting three home runs including a grand slam off the bat of junior transfer Brendan Brock. After falling behind 1-0 through four innings, the Sooners outscored Tech 10-2 through the final five innings. Senior Dayton Tockey hit the go-ahead blast in the sixth inning on a two-run shot to right before fellow senior Trey Gambill hit his own two-run homer in the eighth. Brock followed suit in the ninth with a grand slam, his first home run as a Sooner.
Johnson went six innings before giving way to freshman Xander Mercurius who hurled one inning and surrendered one run on two hits and one walk to go with one strikeout. Senior transfer Jackson Cleveland finished the job, going the final two innings and giving up one run on one hit with one strikeout.
Pitchers of Record
Win: Cameron Johnson (1-0)
Loss: Ryan Free (0-1)
Statistical Snapshot
- Brendan Brock | 2-for-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R
- Camden Johnson | 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 SB
- Trey Gambill | 1-for-2, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 R
- Dayton Tockey | 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 R
- Cameron Johnson | 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K
Notes
- LHP Cameron Johnson struck out a career-best 11, eclipsing his previous career high of eight.
- Johnson’s 11 K’s in a season opener were the most since at least 1999. Big leaguer Jake Irvin K’ed 10 on Opening Day in 2017.
- OU hit three home runs on Opening Day for the second straight season, hitting three vs. Lehigh a season ago (2/14/25)
- Eight Sooners made their OU debut (Camden Johnson, Deiten Lachance, Nolan Stevens, Brendan Brock, Alec Blair, Cayden Brumbaugh, Xander Mercurius, Jackson Cleveland)
- Brendan Brock’s four RBIs were the most for a Sooner since Trey Gambill’s six vs. Missouri last year (4/17/25).
- Brock’s grand slam was the first since Jason Walk’s at Oklahoma State a season ago (4/15/25).
Up Next
OU continues the Shriners Children’s College Showdown Saturday vs. Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. The game can be seen via subscription on FloCollege and heard on 99.3 FM/1400 AM. Tickets for the weekend are available via CollegeBaseballSeries.com.
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