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Oklahoma softball: Sooners drop in rankings after back-to-back losses

By Chip Rouse

CHIBA, JAPAN - AUGUST 03: Suzannah Lillian Brookshire Gonzalez #5 of Mexico hits a single in the Sixth inning against United States during the Preliminary Round match at Akitsu Stadium on day two of the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship on August 3, 2018 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
CHIBA, JAPAN - AUGUST 03: Suzannah Lillian Brookshire Gonzalez #5 of Mexico hits a single in the Sixth inning against United States during the Preliminary Round match at Akitsu Stadium on day two of the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship on August 3, 2018 in Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /
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Following back-to-back losses to second-ranked Washington and unranked Wisconsin over the weekend in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, California, the Oklahoma softball team dropped down two spots, to No. 5, in the latest USA Softball/ESPN rankings.

The Sooners (11-3) had not lost consecutive games in the regular season since the 2017 season. With three losses in 14 games, Oklahoma is half way to its total losses all of last season (6), which included two in the Women’s College World Series.

Oklahoma lost 12-2 to No. 2 Washington and 4-3 to Wisconsin 24 hours later. A week earlier, OU fell 5-4 to Long Beach State in the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Arizona, but rebounded to defeat No. 4 Arizona 6-4 later that same day.

UCLA remains at the top of the rankings with a perfect 15-0 record. Washington is second, followed by Texas, LSU and Oklahoma.

The Sooners are one of five Big 12 teams ranked in this week’s top 25. Besides Texas and OU, Oklahoma State is No. 14, Baylor No. 19 and Texas Tech No. 24.

Oklahoma does not face another team currently ranked in the top 25 until the Sooners host No. 3 Texas for a three-game weekend series March 20-22 to open the Big 12 season. The way things stack up now, that series could be one of the biggest of the season as Oklahoma bids for it record 11th Big 12 championship and ninth in a row.

The Sooners are home this weekend for the first time in 2020, playing host to Northwestern, Abilene Christian and North Texas in the Courtyard Marriott Tournament at Marita Hynes Field.

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