2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown

Oregon vs. Oklahoma Baseball Recap: Ducks Take Down OU At Showdown

Oregon vs. Oklahoma Baseball Recap: Ducks Take Down OU At Showdown

Oklahoma and Oregon open the College Baseball season today in the second game of the 2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown. Follow the action live.

Feb 17, 2024 by Joe Harrington
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Oklahoma Baseball loaded the bases to start the the eighth inning of a tied game, and the reigning Pac-12 Tournament Oregon Baseball team made them pay. 

Bennett Thompson drove in a run via hitting into a double play and Justin Cassella added another run on a wild pitch as Oregon won the second game of the Shriners College Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The first two games of the showdown have been tight games, as Nebraska beat Baylor in the first game after scoring runs in the final two innings to take the lead. Oregon did the same after what had been another pitching showcase. 

OU starter Braden Davis pitched five innings and allowed three hits and two runs but struckout seven, including the final four batters he faced. Meanwhile, Oregon start RJ Gordon got the start for the first time in two years and went 4.1 inning allowing five hits and two runs with three strikeouts. 

He handed the touch over to Grayson Grinsell, the All-Pac-12 pitcher who starred for Oregon in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Grinsell pitched three scoreless innings allowing one hit on 37 pitches. 


Oregon plays Baylor at noon on Feb. 17, while Oklahoma plays No. 8 Tennessee at 8 p.m. 

Here is a recap of the OU-Oregon game below.  

Top Of The Ninth Inning: Oregon Baseball Bullpen Closes It Out

Michael Freund pitched 1.2 innings with two strikeouts to end the game.  

Top Of The Ninth Inning: Cater Campbell Takes Over For OU On The Mound

OU went to the bullpen down 4-2 in the final inning. Oregon didn't score any runs despite putting runners on base. It's 4-2, Oregon. 

Bottom Of The Eighth Inning: Grayson Grinsell Done After 37 Pitches, Oregon Up 4-2

Grayson Grinsell's 2024 debut saw the All-Pac-12 pitcher go three innings with with a strikeout with one hit allowed on 37 pitches. Michael Freund takes over with one done in the frame.

OU's Easton Carmichael reached based on an error, but was thrown out stealing second. Freund struckout the next batter to end the inning. 

Top Of The Eighth Inning: Oregon Takes Lead. Oregon 4, OU 2

The first three Oregon batters reached in the inning against OU reliever Malachi Witherspoon  and the Ducks were able to drive them in after a pitching change against Carson Atwood.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Bennett Thompson hit into a double-play, scoring a run. Justin Cassella scored another run on a wild pitch. 

Bottom Of The Seventh: Grayson Grinsell Works Around Single; OU 2, Oregon 2 

Grayson Grinsell allowed a one-out single, but recorded a strikeout and top-fly with a runner on third to end the inning.

Top Of The Seventh: Oregon Baseball Can't Bring Runner Home; Game Still Tied 2-2

Oregon had a runner on third base, but Malachi Witherspoon held strong and OU got out of the inning. 

Bottom Of The Sixth: Grayson Grinsell Cruising. Oregon 2, OU 2

Grayson Grinsell is living up to the billing as the lefty quickly shut down the OU side 1-2-3. He has thrown 14 pitches in 1.2 innings.

Top Of The Sixth Inning: Braden Davis Out. Malachi Witherspoon On; Game Tied 2-2

Braden Davis's day is over and transfer Malachi Witherspoon is in with the game tied at 2-2.

Witherspoon, right-handed sophomore comes from Northwest Florida State. In 13 games last season he had 24 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. 

He struck one and allowed one hit. 

Bottom Of The Fifth: Oregon Baseball Goes To Bullpen; Grayson Grinsell Is In; Still 2-2

Oregon pitcher RJ Gordon, who missed all of 2023, is out after 68 pitches. Oregon is handing the ball to star pitcher Grayson Grinsell, who started three games for the Ducks in the NCAA Tournament last year. 

The lefty was on the Pac-12 Preseason team. In Pac-12 games, he finished with a 2.42 ERA and a 1-1 record while holding opposing hitters to a .190 batting average.

Grinsell leaves a runner stranded to end the inning. 

Top Of The Fifth: Pitchers Starting To Take Over: Braden Davis Strikes Out Side

Braden Davis stuck out the side of Ducks as the game remains tried at 2-2. He has four-straight strikeouts.

This is likely Davis final inning after throwing 88 pitches. Davis was on a pitch-count coch Skip Johnson said before the game. He has seven ks in 5 innings with two walks and one earned run. 

Bottom Of The Fourth: A Quick 1-2-3 Inning For Oregon

Oregon pitcher RJ Gordon made quick work of the Sooners in the fourth with two ground outs and a fly out.

Top Of The Fourth: Oregon Can't Score After Two Reach; Oregon 2, OU 2

Oregon put two runners on after a wild pitch strikeout and walk, but Jeffrey Heard was thrown out stealing third Braden Davis struck out Carter Garate to end the inning.

Bottom Of The Third: OU Baseball Ties The Game, Oregon 2, OU 2

Easton Carmichael and Kendall Pettis Hit back-to-back sacrifice flies after a single and a double by John Spikerman and Bryce Madron to start the inning. The game is tied at two.

Top Of The Third: Oregon Baseball Gets Another Leadoff Hit; Adds Another Run; Oregon 2, OU 0

Braden Davis almost worked around a leadoff hit by Oregon for the second inning in a row. But after a marathon at-bat against Justin Cassella, Davis threw a wild pitch that allowed Bryce Boettcher to score to make it 2-0.

Bottom Of The Second: OU Baseball Senior Michael Snyder Doubles; Oregon 1-OU 0

Freshman Michael Snyder doubled and freshman Jaxon Willits walked, but Oregon pitcher RJ Gordon was able to get out of the inning with no runs scored.  

Top Of The Second Inning: OU Uses Double Play To Get Out Of Inning. Oregon 1, OU 0

After a leadoff single Jeffrey Heard, Oklahoma used a double play as Braden Davis got out of the inning unscathed. 

Bottom Of The First Inning: Oklahoma Baseball Gets Hit, RJ Gordon Gets Out Of Inning

OU's Easton Carmichael hit a two-out single for OU's first hit of the season, but Oregon starter RJ Gordon, pitching in his first game since 2022, got of the inning with a strikeout to end the inning.

Top Of The First Inning: Oregon Baseball Takes Lead, Oregon 1, OU 0

Oregon leadoff hitter Drew Smith walked and Dominic Hellman drove him in with the Duck's first hit of the season. Smith had advance to second on a passed ball that allowed him to take second. 

Oklahoma pitcher Braden Davis had one strikeout. 

Opening Day For OU, Oregon Baseball Is Here. 

First pitch is moments away with Oregon's Drew Smith due-up first for the Ducks. 

Oregon Baseball Seeking Another NCAA Baseball Tournament Appearance

The Ducks have reached the postseason three straight season and reached the Super Regional round in 2023. 

Oregon vs. Oklahoma Baseball Lineups

Oklahoma: 

  • 1 CF John Spikerman (8) B
  • 2 RF Bryce Madron (12) L
  • 3 C Easton Carmichael (2) R
  • 4 LF Kendall Pettis (7) R
  • 5 1B Rocco Garza-Gongora (20) L
  • 6 3B Michael Snyder (5) R
  • 7 SS Jaxon Willits (77) B
  • 8 DH Carter Frederick (16) R
  • 9 2B Jackson Nicklaus (15) L
  • 10 P Braden Davis (13) L

Oregon: 

  • 1 3B Drew Smith (17) R
  • 2 1B Jacob Walsh (25) L
  • 3 LF Justin Cassella (31) R
  • 4 DH Dominic Hellman (45) R
  • 5 C Bennett Thompson (16) R
  • 6 RF Jeffery Heard (35) L
  • 7 2B Ryan Cooney (12) R
  • 8 SS Carter Garate (3) L
  • 9 CF Bryce Boettcher (28) R
  • 10 P RJ Gordon (66) R

Oregon vs. Oklahoma Baseball History

This is just the second time the two schools have played. Oklahoma beat Oregon in 2012 in Eugene. 

Who Is Pitching For Oregon Baseball Today?

RJ Gordon, a junior, is the expected start for Oregon. He missed all of last season with an injury. He had a 5.64 ERA in 2022. 

Who Is Pitching For Oklahoma Baseball Today?

OU coach Skip Johnson will start Braden Davis, a transfer from Sam Houston State to begin the season. The junior lefty was 5-4 with a 2.78 ERA last season. 

OU Baseball Roster Includes Bryce Madron

Senior outfielder Bryce Madron is on the Preseason All-Big 12 baseball team for Oklahoma. Madron,  batted .320 with team highs of 12 home runs, 15 doubles, 51 RBIs, 58 runs scored and 61 walks last season.

Oregon Baseball, Oklahoma Hype Videos

The Ducks are ready to start the season.

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲

It's go time! Season opener vs. Oklahoma at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. #GoDucks

Stats: https://t.co/5ReU4uHWXL
Watch: https://t.co/gXmwgYc7dE pic.twitter.com/npgoZkLdM1

— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) February 16, 2024

So are the Sooners

What we got.#COMPETE // #CHAOUS pic.twitter.com/vTc8Yy27nu

— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) February 16, 2024

Big 12 Baseball Preseason Poll

  1. Oregon State (8)    95
  2. Stanford (2)    85
  3. UCLA (1)    82
  4. Oregon    74
  5. USC    64
  6. Arizona State    50
  7. Washington    49
  8. California    40
  9. Arizona    31
  10. Utah    20
  11. Washington State    15

College Baseball 2024 Preview: Best 2024 Freshman In College Baseball: Arkansas Baseball Has Loaded Class

College Baseball 2024 Preview: SEC Baseball 2024 Predictions And Preview

Pac-12 Preseason Poll

  1. Oregon State (8)    95
  2. Stanford (2)    85
  3. UCLA (1)    82
  4. Oregon    74
  5. USC    64
  6. Arizona State    50
  7. Washington    49
  8. California    40
  9. Arizona    31
  10. Utah    20
  11. Washington State    15

How To Stream The 2024 College Baseball Showdown?

The first weekend of competition at the Shriners Children's College Showdown is Feb. 16-18 at Globe Life Field. It is streaming on FloBaseball and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms. 

What Teams Are Playing In the 2024 College Baseball Showdown?

Here are the teams: 

  • University of Oklahoma
  • Texas Tech University
  • Baylor University
  • University of Tennessee
  • University of Nebraska
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Arkansas
  • Oklahoma State University
  • University of Michigan
  • Oregon State University 
  • TCU 
  • Texas A&M
  • University of Southern California 
  • Arizona State University

2024 Shriners Children's College Showdown Schedule 

All times Eastern

Friday, Feb. 16 

  • 12 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Baylor 
  • 4 p.m. – Oregon vs. Oklahoma 
  • 8 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Texas Tech

Saturday, Feb. 17 

  • 12 p.m. – Baylor vs. Oregon 
  • 4 p.m. – Texas Tech vs. Nebraska 
  • 8 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Tennessee

Sunday, Feb. 18 

  • 11:30 a.m. – Nebraska vs. Oklahoma 
  • 3:30 p.m. – Oregon vs. Texas Tech 
  • 7:30 p.m. – Tennessee vs. Baylor

2024 Kubota College Baseball Series Weekend 2 Schedule 

All times Eastern

Friday, February 23 

  • 4 p.m. – Michigan vs. Oklahoma State 
  • 8 p.m. – Oregon State vs. Arkansas

Saturday, February 24 

  • 4 p.m. – Michigan vs. Oregon State 
  • 8 p.m. – Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State

Sunday, February 25 

  • 2 p.m. – Arkansas vs. Michigan 
  • 6 p.m. – Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State

2024 Kubota College Baseball Series Weekend 3 Schedule 

All times Eastern

Friday, March 1 

  • 3 p.m. – USC vs. TCU 
  • 7 p.m. – Arizona State vs. Texas A&M

Saturday, March 2 

  • 3 p.m. – Texas A&M vs. USC 
  • 7 p.m. – TCU vs. Arizona State

Sunday, March 3 

  • 12 p.m. – Arizona State vs. Texas A&M 
  • 4 p.m. – USC vs. TCU

FloBaseball Archived Footage

Video footage from past seasons is archived and stored in a video library for FloBaseball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Watch College Baseball On FloBaseball

FloBaseball is home to thousands of college baseball games this spring, including the Shriners Children's College Showdown (formerly the College Baseball Showdown) from Feb. 16 to March 3 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Watch Independent Baseball On FloBaseball 

Follow the action from around the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, Frontier League and Pioneer Baseball League, whether you’re on FloBaseball.tv, the FloSports app or FloBaseball’s social media channels for select games.

Each week during the season, we'll feature at least one “Game Of The Week” from each league and stream it directly to social media. Tune in to catch the action LIVE on FloBaseball's Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

And remember, you can revisit all of your favorite moments from the season, as video footage from each league is archived and stored in a video library for FloBaseball subscribers to watch during the duration of their subscriptions. 

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