Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma softball: Sizzling Sooners host Iowa-State

By Chip Rouse

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 22: General View of Easton Stadium during the game between the UCLA Bruins Softball team and the USA Softball team on April 22, 2008 at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 22: General View of Easton Stadium during the game between the UCLA Bruins Softball team and the USA Softball team on April 22, 2008 at Easton Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /
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During its current 22-game winning streak, the Oklahoma softball team has not-so-quietly moved itself back up to No. 2 in the national rankings and at the doorstep of where it began the season.

The Sooners were the preseason No. 1 team, following a second consecutive national championship season, but had dropped to the six spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball weekly rankings after losing to unranked Boston University and No. 13 Arizona in the first 11 games.

Since dropping a 2-0 decision to Arizona in the final game of the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, California, on Feb. 24, Oklahoma has not lost. Twelve of those 22 subsequent wins have been shutouts and 11 by run-rule. That is how dominant the Sooners have been over that span.

In the last 22 games, Oklahoma has outscored its opponent by the incredible combined score of 174-15.

Beginning Friday, the Sooners will try to extend their winning streak, which currently stands as the fourth longest in program history, hosting Iowa State (18-21, 1-5) in a three-game weekend series.

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Iowa State, but was moved to Norman because of anticipated bad weather this weekend in Ames, Iowa.

OU is tied with the Texas Lady Longhorns for a share of the Big 12 lead with a 6-0 record. The Sooners are 13-0 at home this season and have another streak going in home victories, having won 20 consecutive games at Marita Hynes Field dating back to last season.

This could be one of head coach Patti Gasso’s best OU teams, and she has had some very good ones, including Women’s College World Series champions in three of the last five seasons. There is hardly a weakness in this Oklahoma team. The Sooners rank fifth in the nation in hitting, with a .336 team batting average, and No. 1 in pitching, with a phenomenal 0.76 staff ERA.

It is hard to imagine Iowa State winning any of the three games with the Sooners this weekend. The Cyclones sit at the bottom of the league in virtually every team statistical category except the league standings, where they are currently tied for fourth with Texas Tech, both with 1-5 conference marks.

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In contrast to OU’s league-leading hitting and pitching, Iowa State is last in the Big 12 in both categories, with a team batting average some 80 points lower than the Sooners and a staff ERA almost three runs higher.

Sophomore infielder Sami Williams is the Cyclones best hitter, with a .372 average and a team-best 20 runs batted in. She leads the Big 12 in hits (51) and is second in total bases (88) behind Jocelyn Alo of OU (95).

Senior Paige Parker (17-1 with a nation-best 0.30 ERA) and sophomore Mariah Lopez will likely get the starts against the Cyclones, Parker, Paige Lowary, and Lopez rank one, two and three in the Big 12 in both ERA and opponent’s batting average.

Parker’s performance last weekend in a three-game Oklahoma sweep over Baylor earned her recognition by USA Spftball as National Collegiate Player of the Week

OU is loaded offensively up and down the lineup, and also in the pitching circle. If the Sooners don’t outscore you, their overpowering pitching will make it extremely difficult for their opponents to get runners on base, get them over and get them in.

Chances are good that OU will extend its winning streak against Iowa State. I’d be surprised if they didn’t, but at worst, I see them winning two of three.

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