Softball Announces 2005 Schedule

NORMAN, Okla. Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso thinks the 2005 schedule might be the most difficult slate she has ever put together. She might have a point.

The Sooners face 16 teams from last season's NCAA postseason field, including fellow Women's College World Series participants Washington and Florida State and NCAA Regional foe Louisiana-Lafayette. OU will play a minimum of 59 games with 20 of those contests being against teams that reached last year's tournament. Their travels will take them from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and numerous stops in between.

2005 Schedule | Printable Schedule

“Every tournament is filled with ranked teams from Alabama, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Lafayette and the entire field at the NFCA Leadoff Classic,” said OU head coach Patty Gasso. “It's a very devastating schedule but our team loves that. They know that to be the best we have to play the best and beat them. We aren't afraid to play anyone, but this is going to be a very grueling schedule.”

The season begins on Feb. 4 at the Clearwater Invitational (Fla.) where the round robin play is highlighted by games against Louisville and Florida. From there the Sooners travel to Houston for the second consecutive year. The Houston Hilton Plaza Cougar Classic field is highlighted by SEC powerhouse Alabama.

The 2005 home opener is set for Feb. 18 during the annual OU/Nike Classic. The Sooners open against Lipscomb and will also face Creighton and North Texas during round robin play.

OU rounds out the month of February with its annual trip to the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Sooners will face Michigan State, Lehigh and Florida State on Feb. 25-26. Bracket play begins on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 26 and continues into Sunday. The Leadoff Classic field includes 20 teams that qualified for regional play in 2004.

In March the Sooners head west to the Las Vegas Classic (March 4-6) and Kia Klassic (Match 17-20), which are sandwiched around the OU/Worth Invitational. OU and Washington, who met in the first round of the WCWS, will square off in Vegas. Two weekends later the Sooners will begin Kia Klassic action against Lafayette, who OU defeated last season to advance from regionals to the 2004 WCWS.

During OU/Worth play the Sooners will face Nicholls State and UTEP twice.

The Big 12 slate is highlighted by home contests with Texas A&M, Baylor and Nebraska. The road portion features daunting trips to Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas.

The annual Bedlam Series will begin in Norman on April 6 and conclude in Stillwater on April 27. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Senior night is scheduled for May 4 with North Texas visiting the OU Softball Complex.

Postseason play begins with the Big 12 Tournament, which runs from May 12-15.

The NCAA has changed the postseason softball format to mirror collegiate baseball. The tournament begins with four-team NCAA Regionals that will be hosted at 16 sites from May 19-22. Memorial Day weekend (May 27-29) is now home to NCAA Super Regionals that will feature two teams in a best-of-three format at eight different sites.

For the first time in many years the Women's College World Series is being hosted away from Memorial Day Weekend. The WCWS begins June 2 in Oklahoma City and will run through June 6. The final two days will feature a best-of-three format between the final two teams.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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