Softball Releases Eight-Game Fall Schedule

NORMAN – The Oklahoma softball team is scheduled to play eight games this fall in preparation for the 2016 season, head coach Patty Gasso announced Friday.

The fall schedule starts the weekend of Sept. 25-26 with the annual Fall Festival Tournament at Marita Hynes Field. Oklahoma opens play on Friday, Sept. 25, against Northern at 4:45 p.m. before facing Oklahoma Wesleyan at 7 p.m. OU then plays twice Saturday with games at 4:45 p.m. against Seminole State and 7 p.m. against St. Gregory's.

After nearly a week-and-a-half break, OU returns to the field on Wednesday, Oct. 7 as it hosts North Central Texas College at 6 p.m.

One week later, the Sooners travel to Denton, Texas, to face North Texas at 6 p.m.

During the 2015 regular season, Oklahoma captured both contests against the Mean Green. On April 20, North Texas led 3-2 in the third before moving ahead on a two-run homer by Kelsey Arnold in a 6-3 win. Ten days later in Denton, history was made as senior Lauren Chamberlain set the NCAA career home run record as the Sooners won 6-2.

The fall season concludes on Saturday, Oct. 31, when Oklahoma welcomes Arkansas to Norman for a doubleheader beginning at noon. The Sooners run-ruled the Razorbacks, 10-1, in five innings last season in Norman. Seniors Georgia Casey and Shelby Pendley each homered twice in the victory.

Oklahoma is the four-time defending Big 12 champion, a run never before seen in the conference. The Sooners finished the 2015 season with a 49-9 record as they made their fifth straight Super Regional appearance. The team loses five seniors from last year's squad in 2016, but returns Paige Parker, a second-team All-American and the NFCA Freshman of the Year.

In addition to Parker, returning all-region honorees include Arnold, Erin Miller, Whitney Ellis, Kady Self and Nicole Pendley. Oklahoma also welcomes in an eight-person freshman class that includes a pair of Gatorade Players of the Year in Jayden Chestnut (Oklahoma) and Brittany Finney (Kansas).

2015 Fall Schedule

Day	Date	Opponent	Location	Time
Friday	Sept. 25	Northern	Norman	4:45 p.m.
Friday	Sept. 25	Oklahoma Wesleyan	Norman	7 p.m.
Saturday	Sept. 26	Seminole State	Norman	4:45 p.m
Saturday	Sept. 26	St. Gregory's	Norman	7 p.m.
Wednesday	Oct. 7	NCTC	Norman	6 p.m.
Wednesday	Oct. 14	North Texas	Denton, Texas	6 p.m.
Saturday	Oct. 31	Arkansas	Norman	12 p.m.
Saturday	Oct. 31	Arkansas	Norman	2 p.m.