Oklahoma softball sprinting to the Big 12 finish line
By Chip Rouse
The only thing that stands between Oklahoma softball and an eighth consecutive Big 12 regular season championship is some unfinished business that in the Sooner State they call Bedlam.
What could be more perfect? Bedlam, which is the term used to describe competition between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State is a big deal no matter what athletic event between these two in-state rivals, but you can ratchet up this weekend’s softball series a couple of notches.
The Sooners (45-2, 15-0) and Cowgirls (37-11, 13-2) are the top two teams in the Big 12 and ranked No. 1 and 13, respectively. The outcome of their three-game series this weekend will determine the Big 12 regular-season champion and whether Oklahoma will be able to retain its league champion title for an eighth consecutive year and 11th overall in the Big 12 era.
Oklahoma is seeking to expand it current 35-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the nation and tied for the fifth longest in NCAA Division I softball history. In addition, the Sooners have not lost to a Big 12 team in 40 consecutive games.
The Sooners are up 90-70 in the all-time series between these two longtime in-state rivals. Oklahoma State owns the advantage in Stillwater, however, which is where two of the games this weekend will be played (on Friday night and Sunday). The middle game in the series will be played at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, where the Sooners have another streak going: 46 consecutive wins..
Oklahoma State trails OU by two games in the conference standings, so mathematically the Sooners only need to win one game in the series to clinch another Big 12 title. Be assured, though, that this group of Sooner softballers won’t be satisfied with anything less than a series sweep, furthering the school mantra that “There is only One Oklahoma!”
No. 1 has been symbolic and constant this season for Sooner softball
No. 1 has been a recurrent pattern all season long in Oklahoma softball. Following are the areas where Oklahoma currently ranks No. 1:
- No. 1 in ESPN/USA Softball rankings, USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll
- No. 1 in 2019 Big 12 standings
- No. 1 in 2019 Big 12 weekly awards (14 out of 27 this season)
- Leads the nation in batting average (.366), fielding percentage (.987), fewest errors (14), home runs per game (1.96), on-base percentage (.457), runs per game (8.15), shutouts (210), slugging percentage (.681), strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82) and win-loss percentage (45-2, .957).
- An Oklahoma player leads the Big 12 in at least 10 statistical categories.
The Sooners rank second in the country in staff earned run average (1.21).
If softball, like most things in life, is a matter of skill and luck, Oklahoma has a lot of both going for it right now.
What you should know about Oklahoma State
The Cowgirls rank fourth in the Big 12 with a team batting average of .307 and third in pitching with a staff earned run average of 2.59.
Freshman outfielder Cheyenne Factor leads the team in hitting (.362). Senior Samantha Show, who doubles as a starting pitcher and utility player, not only leads OSU with 15 home runs and 46 runs batted in, but is also 16-5 in 22 starts in the circle with an ERA of 2.30 and 92 strikeouts, ninth best in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State has two of the best starting pitchers in the conference in Show and another Samantha (Oakley). Oakley has made 13 starts and is 9-3 with a 2.22 ERA.
Two of the games in this series will be played in Stillwater, where the Cowgirls are 15-1 this season. Their lone home loss was against Texas, 4-3, on March 31.
The bottom line
Hard to go against the Sooners in this series, unless Lady Luck intervenes.
Next. Sooners are masters of run-rule decisions. dark
I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if several Oklahoma streaks come to an end this weekend. After all, this is Bedlam, where everyone knows, anything goes.