Oklahoma Looks to Get Back on Track in Conference With a Road Test in Nashville

The No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners will travel to Nashville, TN for the first time in program history to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Sooners and Commodores have met six times. Last season was the Commodores first visit to Norman — a series that Oklahoma took 2-1 — but Vanderbilt was able to win in the SEC Tournament in their most previous meeting.

The programs first met in 2008 in the Tempe, AZ regional. The Sooners won both contests.

Oklahoma (22-10, 5-7) enters desperate for a conference win — and another series win. Vanderbilt (19-15, 6-6) sits just above the Sooners in the SEC standings following their series loss to Texas A&M last weekend.

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

Vanderbilt won series' against No. 21 Tennessee (sweep) and LSU (2-1). They were swept by No. 6 Mississippi State in Starkville. The Commodores are 17-4 in Nashville compared to 1-5 on the road.

The Sooners recently completed the season-sweep of Dallas Baptist on Monday on the road, winning 9-3. OU beat DBU 2-0 in Norman on March 3.

The nine runs scored Monday were a welcome sight considering the Sooners' struggles from the plate in the 2-1 series loss to No. 11 Alabama last weekend. A once potent offense from earlier in the season seemed to go away in a 3-2 rubber game loss on Saturday.

How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Vanderbilt

When: Thursday, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Charles Hawkins Field, Nashville, TN
How: SEC Network (Thursday), SEC Network+ (Friday, Saturday) KREF 99.3 FM, 1400 AM, KREF app

Most damage came in a 14-0 run-rule rout, but Oklahoma squandered Cameron Johnson's five-inning gem in Game 2 and Cord Rager's strong finale. Both losses came thanks to bullpen meltdowns and an anemic offense.

Monday's win over Dallas Baptist, where the Sooners notched nine runs off 13 hits — including six doubles and two back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning — could be a necessary catalyst for Oklahoma to regain some ground lost in conference.

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But OU will always be a team built from the mound under Skip Johnson. This weekend will have the same lineup at pitcher with LJ Mercurius starting on Thursday with Johnson on Friday. Saturday's starter will be decided in the coming days.

Last week, Rager sat out with lat tenderness and John Collier took the mound to start in the rubber match against Alabama.

Oklahoma Sooners, Trent Collier — Oklahoma pitcher Trent Collier throws against Gonzaga. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Johnson mentioned that he "didn't want to risk (Rager's) future and push him" to play following the loss to the Crimson Tide on Saturday. Rager's status remains uncertain, but the Sooners have options with a strong bullpen.

The first game takes place at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Friday and Saturday games will begin at 6 and 1 p.m. respectively.