Oklahoma softball takes 28-game win streak to Texas and Red River Showdown
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma softball takes its No. 1 ranking and 28-game consecutive win streak to Austin, Texas, this weekend for a Red River Showdown with archrival Texas.
The Sooners (38-2, 9-0) are in the second leg of an 11-game road trip that will also take them to Iowa State before returning home for a single game with in-state rival Oklahoma State on May 4 sandwiched between a pair games in a three-game set against the Cowgirls.
Oklahoma not only has not lost since Feb. 22 (a 7-1 defeat to then-No. 2 ranked UCLA), but has not lost to a Big 12 opponent in the last 34 outings, which dates back to the 2017 season.
Texas (36-9, 7-3) ranked 10th nationally in this week’s college softball rankings, will pose a formidable challenge to the high-flying Sooners. For one thing, this will be emotionally charged rivalry series, which by its very nature means anything and everything can be expected to happen, and it’s on the road. Oklahoma can expect Texas’ best shot, which currently has the Longhorns holding down the third spot in the conference standings, behind OU and Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma owns a sizeable advantage in the all-time rivalry with the Longhorns, 42-24, including a 14-9 edge in games played in Austin. The Sooners have a 15-game consecutive win streak against Texas, winning the last six regular-season series between the two teams.
This is the first time since the 2013 season that both schools have played each while ranked in the nation’s top 25.
About Texas
The Longhorns were off last weekend, but took two of three at Texas Tech in their most recent Big 12 series.
The Texas pitching staff ranks second in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma, with an ERA of 1.45, including the nation leader in freshman Shealyn O’Leary, who is 12-1 with an 0.51 ERA.
At the plate, the Longhorns are hitting .392 as a team, third best in the Big 12. The Texas offense has out-hit 36 of 45 opponents this season and is averaging 8.1 hits and 5.7 runs per game. Sophomore Janae Jefferson is the Longhorns’ best hitter with a batting average of .431 and an on-base percentage of .459.
What to know about the Sooners
Not only are the Sooners No. 1 in the polls, they lead the nation in batting average (.374), earned run average (1.20), fielding percentage (.987), on-base percentage (4.65), runs per game (8.20), shutouts (19), slugging percentage (.688) and win-lost percentage (.950).
Senior third baseman Sydney Romero leads the Big 12 in six offensive categories: batting average (.462), hits (61), home runs (15), runs batted in (42), total bases (122) and slugging percentage (.924).
OU’s three weekend starters (Giselle Juarez, Mariah Lopez and Shannon Saile are a combined 38-2 and all rank in the top five in the Big 12 in earned run average.
During its 28-game winning streak, Oklahoma have scored a total of 238 runs (8.5 per game) while allowing just 24 (0.85 per game).
The Sooners have won 21 games by run rule (leading by eight or more runs after five innings) and 19 by shutout. They have won 30 of 40 games by five or more runs and have multiple home runs in 23 games.
Since 2004, no OU softball team has hit 77 home runs and won 21 run-rule games in the first 40 games.
Next. Spring game is another recruiting success. dark
Oklahoma is one of the best, if not the best in the country, in winning games away from home. Case in point: The Sooners have won 51 of their last 52 true road games.