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Oklahoma softball back in action this weekend

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - DECEMBER 6: Oklahoma Sooners cheerleaders perform during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys December 6, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Sooners 38-35 in overtime. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - DECEMBER 6: Oklahoma Sooners cheerleaders perform during the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys December 6, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Sooners 38-35 in overtime. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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While Major League Baseball is nearing an end to its long seven-month season, the two-time defending national champion Oklahoma softball squad is about to start a new one.

The Sooners don’t begin their official title defense until February, but they open up their abbreviated fall schedule of games this weekend with the annual Fall Festival Tournament to be played at OU’s Marita Hynes Field.

The five-team tournament includes host OU and four schools from the state of Oklahoma (Temple College, Trinity Valley Community College, Seminole State College and Northern Oklahoma College). The timing of the fall softball action comes at a good time on the Sooners sports calendar because the football team has a bye this weekend.

The Sooners return 16 players from their national championship team of last season, including Second-Team All-Americans Shay Knighton, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player in the 2016 Women’s College World Series, pitcher Paige Parker, who has been voted the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in each of the last three seasons, and second baseman Caleigh Clifton.

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In addition to winning back-to-back national championships, head coach Patty Gasso’s team has won an unprecedented six consecutive Big 12 regular-season crowns. The Sooners were 61-9 last season. Gasso is in her 24th season coaching Oklahoma softball.

The Sooners will play doubleheaders on both Friday and Saturday. They will face Trinity College at 4:45 p.m. on Friday, followed by Temple College in the night cap at 7 p.m. OU takes on Seminole College in the early game (4:45) on Saturday and then will go up against Northern Oklahoma at 7 p.m.

Oklahoma will play four other games in its fall softball schedule: North Central Texas College in a midweek game on Oct. 18, a doubleheader with the University of Arkansas on Oct. 29 and a contest North Texas on Nov. 3 to complete the fall season.

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