For the last time, an Oklahoma sport will begin its new SEC era.
The OU baseball team will travel to South Carolina this weekend for its inaugural SEC series. Other than wrestling, which is still an affiliate member of the Big 12, baseball is the final sport to start SEC play in the school's first academic year in the new conference.
Just like the football team had to deal with, Skip Johnson and his program also had to brace for entering the traditional premier conference of college baseball. In this week's D1 Baseball Rankings, which have the Sooners at No. 12, there are 12 SEC teams, including the top four.
South Carolina is a traditional powerhouse but outside the top 25 so far this season at 15-3. The Gamecocks were swept by then-No. 13 Clemson earlier in the season for their only losses. South Carolina has been on a six-game winning streak since those losses.
The Sooners started their season on an 11-game winning streak before losing a midweek game against then-No. 21 Dallas Baptist last week. OU responded with a series sweep of Sam Houston last weekend in Norman, then beat Louisiana Tech 9-5 on Wednesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
Here's the full schedule for OU's first SEC series against South Carolina with projected starting pitchers and how to watch every game.
How to watch
OU: RHP Kyson Witherspoon (1.17 ERA, 4-0)
USC: RHP Brandon Stone (1.93 ERA, 1-0)
OU: RHP Malachi Witherspoon (4.00 ERA, 2-0)
USC: LHP Jake McCoy (4.74 ERA, 1-1)
OU: LHP Cameron Johnson (3.93 ERA, 2-0)
USC: RHP Dylan Eskew (1.69 ERA, 0-1)