Oklahoma Falls at LSU in Thursday Night Terror for Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson's return to Baton Rouge was not how he dreamt it up.

Maybe the former LSU Tiger and his No. 7-ranked Oklahoma teammates both wished the series started on Friday instead of Thursday.

With Johnson (3-1) taking the hill against his former team, OU suffered its second consecutive loss, this one a 7-1 setback to the No. 20-ranked LSU Tigers in the first of the three-game series at Alex Box Stadium. Mistakes, uncharacteristic play and no energy at the plate doomed the Sooners early on.

Johnson's day ended after 68 pitches and one out into the second inning. He finished by allowing four runs, with just one earned. Whether it was a lack of control of his pitches or it just not being the Sooners' evening against LSU (16-7, 2-2). OU (17-5, 2-2) had little to show for after trying to climb out of a bad start.

After getting the leadoff man to ground out, Johnson walked three consecutive LSU batters.

Oklahoma Sooners, Cameron Johnson — Oklahoma pitcher Cameron Johnson | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

With a full count, Johnson struck out John Pearson to earn the second out. But that success was short lived.

Johnson was unable to climb out of a 3-0 hole against Cade Arrambide. Johnson's fourth walk put the Sooners down 1-0.

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Johnson was able to strike out Tiger first basemen Zach Yorke to end the inning. The damage was done with the run, but also to Johnson's arm after tossing 38 pitches.

The Sooners struggled against LSU pitcher Casan Evans, who over the first two innings earned four strikeouts and gave up no hits. Evans was quick and methodical and Oklahoma didn't have an answer.

Johnson's struggles throwing persisted in the second inning. They also seemed to infect the Oklahoma field as the Sooners melted down with poor throw after poor throw. OU suffered three errors, a hit batter and three runs given up. At that point, Skip Johnson had seen enough — pulling Johnson for the right-handed freshman Xander Mercurius.

It took three pitches for Mercurius to surrender an RBI single off a base hit into center field. To his credit, Mercurius calmed things down and quickly ended the nightmare inning by striking out Yorke for the third out.

Oklahoma Sooners, Skip Johnson — Oklahoma coach Skip Johnson | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Mercurius stabilized the game and kept the Tigers at five runs through the sixth. OU finally got on the board when Jason Walk scored from second on a throwing error following Camden Johnson's strike out.

LSU got some insurance runs in the seventh after Johnson called for Nate Smithburg to relieve Mercurius. With runners on second and third, Smithburg gave up an RBI double to Yorke, extending the Tiger lead to 7-1.

Oklahoma and LSU will meet again Friday night at 6:30 p.m. for the second of three.