Oklahoma softball has started new win streak, but still setting freakish numbers
By Chip Rouse
Back in their familiar No. 1 spot in all the NCAA Division 1 polls, the Oklahoma softball heads to Lubbock, Texas, this weekend to go up against Big 12 foe Texas Tech in the Sooners' first conference road trip of the season.
The Sooners 24-1, 3-0) have dominated the all-time series with the Red Raiders, but this is a much-improved Texas Tech team over previous seasons. The Red Raiders are off to a 21-5 start to the 2024 season under head coach Craig Snider, who is in his second season at Texas Tech. Snider has a connection with the OU softball program, having served as a graduate assistant under Gasso in 2005-06.
Oklahoma has begun a new winning streak that is currently at six games after having its NCAA record win streak snapped at 71 in a loss to visiting Louisiana on the opening weekend of the Sooners' new $48 million softball stadium, Love's Field. Before that fateful Sunday afternoon against the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana, OU had not lost at home since the 2020 season, a total of 69 games.
Patty Gasso's Sooner team continues to chase and set new records in the game. Speaking of the Sooner head coach, with a three-game sweep of Texas Tech this weekend, OU not only would stretch its new unbeaten streak to nine games, but Gasso would reach 400 wins in the conference, making her the first coach in the history of the Big 12 with 400 career wins in the conference. With 20 more wins, Gasso, who is in her 30th season as the Sooners' head coach, will reach 1,500 career wins. She is currently No, 3 all-time in career college softball wins.
Gasso isn't the only Oklahoma Sooner chasing a milestone mark in softball. Senior infielder Tiare Jennings needs only eight more extra-base hits to achieve 146 in her career and pass former OU Sooner Lauren Chamberlain for the second most in Oklahoma softball history. Jocelyn Alo is the program leader in that category with 173.
The three-time defending national champion Sooners led NCAA Division 1 softball in virtually every major offensive and defensive category last season and they are off to another strong start again this season. Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in pitching (1.28 earned run average) and fieldling percentage (.987 with just eight errors).
The Sooners rank in the top-three nationally in on-base-plus-slugging percentage (1st, 1.179), fielding percentage (3rd, .987), slugging percentage (2nd, .705), batting average (3rd, .388), on-base percentage (3rd, .473), runs scored (3rd, 193), shutouts (3rd, 13) and home runs (3rd, 44).
Oklahoma is in its final season in the Big 12. Next year at this time, the the Sooner softball program will be competing in the talent-laden SEC. Over 29 Big 12 seasons, Oklahoma is 397-87 (.870) overall and 400-94 in the conference. Since the 2016 season, the Sooners are a remarkable 124-4 against conference opponents, and OU hasn't lost a conference series since 2011.