Oklahoma starts top-5 Red River Rivalry softball series with a bang

Even when it seems like everything has changed, some things never actually do.

The Oklahoma Sooners beat the Texas Longhorns 7-6 on Friday night at Love's Field in Game 1 of a top-5 Red River Rivalry weekend series. The series is the first between No. 4 OU and No. 3 Texas on the softball field since both joined the SEC last summer and also the Longhorns' first visit to the new Love's Field.

Sooners take Game 1 from Texas in first SEC showdown

Texas hasn't beaten the Sooners in Norman since 2014 and hasn't taken a series from its top rival since the 2006 season. Since then, OU has also beaten the Longhorns in two of the last three Women's College World Series championship series.

It seemed like things could be different in 2025 in a new conference, with Texas returning almost all of its talent from last season and OU losing five position starters and its two top pitchers. But maybe some things always stay the same.

The Sooners started this most recent matchup with a 6-0 lead before the Longhorns even got going. OU struck first in the second inning when Isabela Emerling got in Nelly McEnroe-Marinas with a groundout to third with bases load.

The game was then busted wide open and on track for a run-rule in the third inning. First, freshman Gabbie Garcia hit a solo shot over center field. Then, Ailana Agbayani hit an opposite-field grand slam to make the count 6-0.

Texas finally swung back with two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to get within a run. But after a brief scoring drought, Agbayani doubled in McEnroe-Marinas to get the last run OU would need before Texas notched one more in the seventh.

In the circle, ace Sam Landry tallied her 16th win after going the distance and giving up two earned runs while striking out five and walking three.

Game 2 of the Red River Rivalry will be at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday on SEC Network+. The game time was moved because of possible inclement weather.

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