Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma softball: Sooners’ No. 1 ranking supported statistically several times over

By Chip Rouse

Jun 9, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; OklahomaÕs Jocelyn Alo (center) celebrates with Kinzie Hansen (9) and Tiare Jennings (23) after hitting a home run against Florida State in the sixth inning of game two of the NCAA WomenÕs College World Series Championship Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 9, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; OklahomaÕs Jocelyn Alo (center) celebrates with Kinzie Hansen (9) and Tiare Jennings (23) after hitting a home run against Florida State in the sixth inning of game two of the NCAA WomenÕs College World Series Championship Series at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /
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Three weeks and 15 games into the Oklahoma softball season, the No. 1-ranked Sooners stand a perfect 15-0.

The reigning national champions are 91-8 over their last two-plus seasons, easily the class of college softball. They’ve got a ways to go, though, to match last year’s 33-0 start to the season.

Through their first 15 games, the Sooners have won 12 by run rule and posted nine shutouts. They defeated three ranked teams, including two this weekend at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, California: 10-2 over No. 10 Arizona and 9-8 in 10 innings over No. 17 Tennessee. Earlier in the month, OU downed No. 3 UCLA 4-1.

The scary thing if you are an opponent of this Oklahoma softball team is that the 2022 squad may be even better than last season’s Women’s College World Series champions, a team that rolled to a 56-4 overall record, the second winningest team in Sooner softball history.

Like the 2021 national championship squad, the 2022 edition of Sooner softball can beat you playing small ball, power ball and has few holes in a starting lineup laden with top talent. And Patty Gasso’s team also makes it difficult on opposing teams at the plate with a lockdown pitching staff.

The Sooners the nation’s top-ranked program for a second consecutive season and their statistical numbers so far support that ranking. Entering this weekend, Oklahoma ranked No. 1 in scoring (9.5 per game), slugging percentage (.782), home runs per game (2.5), shutouts (8) and earned-run average (.00) and tied for the top spot in on-base percentage (.492). In addition, the Sooners were second-best in the nation in batting average (.397).

It’s extremely difficult to go undefeated in a college softball season that entails some 50-plus games. So the odds are this Oklahoma team, as good as it is, is going to lose several times over the course of the season. But with numbers like the Sooners displayed all of last season and are continuing to demonstrate in the early going this season, they aren’t going to go down easily.

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