OU Hosts Kansas to Open Big 12 Home Slate

April 1-3 | Norman, Okla. | Marita Hynes Field

Kansas

^13/14 Oklahoma

NORMAN - No. 13/14 Oklahoma (24-6, 1-0 Big 12) opens the home portion of its Big 12 schedule this weekend when Kansas (19-11, 0-0) visits for a three-game series.

Fans should plan to arrive early this weekend. With the Medieval Fair taking place across the street at Reaves Park, parking will be in high demand. It will be free to park at the OU Softball Complex until first pitch each day, but after that parking will cost $5.

The game can be heard on KEBC 1560 in Norman. Friday's game will be televised on Fox Sports Oklahoma, while Saturday's game is on Fox College Sports Pacific and Sunday will be shown nationally on Fox Sports Network.

The Sooners are 15-5 all-time in Big 12 home openers, including four straight wins. In those four wins, OU has outscored opponents 22-5. This will be the third time that OU opens conference play against KU after taking wins in 2008 and 2012.

Promotions

Big 12 play at home begins this weekend! Don't miss Kady Self Day on Saturday and Strike Out Cancer Day on Sunday! pic.twitter.com/TruQyNtO93
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) March 31, 2016

Facing Kansas

Oklahoma has a 58-43 (.574) all-time advantage over Kansas, including a 31-13 (.705) mark in Norman. Since OU head coach Patty Gasso arrived in 1995 the Sooners own a 47-12 (.797) edge in the series.

The Sooners have won two straight in the series, five of the past six matchups and 13 of the past 15 contests.

The Sooners' 58 wins over the Jayhawks are their third-highest total against any other program.

Opponent	W-L Record	Win Pct.
Oklahoma State	81-70	.536
Iowa State	71-28	.717
Kansas	58-43	.574
Missouri	51-41	.554
Baylor	50-12	.806

OU has faced Kansas 101 times in its history. The only team the Sooners have faced more is Oklahoma State (151).

Last Time They Met

Kansas was only one of seven teams to beat the Sooners a year ago, though OU won the season series 2-1.

In the opener, Kansas only had three hits but two of them were two-run homers in a 4-2, eight-inning win.

OU responded in game two with a 13-0, five-inning win. Kady Self doubled twice and drove in three, while Erin Miller was 2-3 with two RBI and four runs scored. Paige Parker struck out six in three hitless innings of work, while also going 2-2 with two runs scored.

A 7-4 win in the series finale clinched OU's fourth straight Big 12 title. Erin Miller drove in three runs, while Paige Parker started and then re-entered the game in the seventh to help OU get out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation.

Four-Time Defending Champs Begin Title Defense

Oklahoma claimed the Big 12 Championship for an unprecedented fourth year in a row in 2015. In fact, in 2014, OU became the first team to win three straight Big 12 titles. Oklahoma has won eight Big 12 regular season titles and four conference tournament championships. The 12 combined championships are the most in league history.

With four straight league crowns, the Sooners are tied for the second-longest active regular season conference-title streak in the nation with Lehigh (Patriot League) and North Dakota State (Summit League). Only Michigan in the Big Ten has won more consecutive league titles (8).

Since the Big 12 began in 1996, Oklahoma has the best all-time winning percentage in conference play at .768 (274-83). Among teams currently in the league, Texas is a distant second at .645 (216-119), followed by Baylor at .493 (165-170-1), Oklahoma State at .443 (158-199), Kansas at .386 (140-223), Texas Tech at .314 (111-243) and Iowa State at .221 (78-275).

In the 20 seasons of Big 12 softball, Oklahoma has had a winning record in league play 19 times and finished first or second in the standings 16 times.

Sooners Placed Atop Big 12 Preseason Poll Again

Since the Big 12 began in 1996, Oklahoma has the best all-time winning percentage in conference play at .767 (273-83). Among teams currently in the league, Texas is a distant second at .645 (216-119), followed by Baylor at .493 (165-170-1), Oklahoma State at .444 (158-198), Kansas at .386 (140-223), Texas Tech at .314 (111-243) and Iowa State at .221 (78-275).

In the 20 seasons of Big 12 softball, Oklahoma has had a winning record in league play 19 times and finished first or second in the standings 16 times.

Quick Hits

Through March 27, among all active pitchers with at least 200 career IP, Paige Parker is ninth with a career ERA of 1.74 ... Parker has a 0.67 ERA over her last four appearances, covering 21.0 innings ... Erin Miller is tied for 16th among active NCAA players with 11 career triples ... Kelsey Stevens is seventh among active pitchers with 69 career wins, eighth with 19 shutouts, 10th with 102 career starts, 13th with 132 appearances, 14th with 7.63 K/IP (min. 400 IP), 18th with 583 strikeouts and 36th with 535.0 career innings pitched

Parker has a 1.08 ERA over her last four appearances, covering 26.0 innings ... Kelsey Arnold's batting average has been above .333 all season and above .400 since Feb. 20 ... nine of Caleigh Clifton's 19 hits this year have gone for extra bases (seven doubles, two triples) ... Brittany Finney has not given up an earned run in any of her four starts (11.2 IP) ... Jayden Chestnut has a 1.40 ERA in her last four appearances, covering 15.0 innings ... Lea Wodach has a team-high .625 average in home games this year ... after recording eight RBI in her first 23 games, Nicole Pendley has 10 RBI in her last seven contests ... five of Fale Aviu's six home runs have come at home

OU Continues Remarkable Run in National Polls

After going 2-0 last week, OU stayed at No. 13 in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll and No. 14 In the USA ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 for the fourth straight week.

Oklahoma is the only program to be ranked every week of the NFCA poll, 313 straight polls.

In addition, OU stayed at No. 12 in the latest RPI poll for the second consecutive week.

Tough Schedule for Sooners in 2016

Fifteen opponents that reached the 2015 NCAA Softball Tournament, including half of the field from the Women's College World Series, highlight Oklahoma's 2016 schedule.

Eight of OU's opponents are ranked in at least one of the two latest polls and eight more are receiving votes. Oklahoma has faced 11 of those 18 opponents so far, going 7-6 (played Minnesota and BYU twice).

Oklahoma's six losses this season have come to teams that are a combined 113-37-1 (.752).

In fact, so far this season Oklahoma has played the 11th-toughest schedule in the country (.620) based on the opponents' cumulative win percentage (games through 3/27).

Looking ahead to the remainder of OU's schedule, Sooner opponents have a .603 cumulative winning percentage, which ranks 40th in the country. Combining OU's past opponents with its future foes, OU's opponents have a .614 cumulative win percentage, which ranks 15th in the country.