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Oklahoma softball: Sooners can make strongest statement yet in Bedlam

By Chip Rouse

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 09: Nicole Mendes #11 high-fives Tiare Jennings #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners after making an outfield catch during the second inning of Game 2 of the Women's College World Series Championship against the Florida St. Seminoles at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium on June 09, 2021 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 09: Nicole Mendes #11 high-fives Tiare Jennings #23 of the Oklahoma Sooners after making an outfield catch during the second inning of Game 2 of the Women's College World Series Championship against the Florida St. Seminoles at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium on June 09, 2021 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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The top-10 Oklahoma softball matchup this week with Oklahoma State has considerably higher implications than state bragging rights.

The Bedlam series that will unfold Thursday through Saturday at OU’s Marita Hynes Field not only will determine the Big 12 regular-season champion but also serve as a preview of a potential rematch in the championship game of the Big 12 Championship Tournament that follows next week,

It also is not unfeasible that both of these teams could land berths in the Women’s College World Series, which also will be held in the state of Oklahoma at the ASA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City beginning in early June.

Top-ranked Oklahoma and No. 6/7 Oklahoma State, depending on which national ranking you reference, have met 167 times on the softball diamond with the Sooners holding a 96-71 advantage. This weekend will be games 168, 169 and 170 in the all-time series between these two bitter in-state rivals. The Sooners are 42-21 against the Lady Cowgirls in games played in Norman.

The two teams are currently tied with identical 14-1 records atop the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma brings a 45-1 overall record into the series; Oklahoma State owns a 38-9 record overall.

Oklahoma has won 26 of its last 27 games against Oklahoma State. The lone loss came in the first game of the regular-season series last year in Stillwater, which Oklahoma State won 6-1. The Cowgirls have not won a game in Norman since 1997.

All three games in this all-important series will be televised on the ESPN platform of sports channels. Thursday night’s game will be carried at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Friday night, the game will be carried on ESPN2, and Saturday’s series finale is scheduled for 4 p.m. on ESPNU.

What fans need to know about the OU-OSU Bedlam series this weekend

  • Statistically speaking, the Sooners and Cowgirls are fairly evenly matched in terms of their Big 12 rankings. Oklahoma leads the Big 12 and all of NCAA Division I softball in hitting (.381 team batting average) and pitching (0.71 ERA). Oklahoma State ranks third in the Big 12 and 44th nationally in hitting (.299) and second in the conference and ninth nationally in pitching (1.78 ERA).
  • Oklahoma State owns a slight advantage over the Sooners in fielding percentage. The Cowgirls’ .982 fielding percentage is nine points higher than Oklahoma. OSU has committed 22 errors in 47 games; OU has committed 28 errors in 46 games, but only six in their past 15 games.
  • Oklahoma leads the nation in batting average, home runs (120), home runs per game (2.6), on-base percentage (.489), slugging percentage (.767), earned run average (0.71) and overall win percentage (.978).
  • Three OU players rank in the top-15 nationally in hitting: No. 3 Jocelyn Alo (.473), No. 5 Jayda Coleman (.453) and No. 13 Grace Lyons (.437). Additionally, three Sooners rank in the nation’s top 15 in home runs: No. 2 Alo (23), No. 8 Tiare Jennings (19) and tied for 13th, Lyons (17).
  • Six players in Oklahoma’s starting lineup are hitting .400 or better. Oklahoma State’s best hitter is Miranda Elish with a .378 batting average.
  • The Sooners aren’t just an offensive juggernaut, they boast a shutdown pitching staff as well. Three Oklahoma pitchers rank in the top-10 nationally in ERA. and Oklahoma State will face all three this weekend.

Prediction

Oklahoma State is good enough to win at least one game in this important series and with some good bounces even win a couple of times and take the series. OU is playing at home, however, where the Sooners are 90-2 over the past five seasons. Moreover, Oklahoma has won 64 consecutive Big 12 series. As OSU’s record and national ranking clearly show, the Cowgirls are a very good team. They are going up against a great Oklahoma team, though. Sooners sweep, winning all three games.

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